Play examines life in a digital world

An Internet search engine brings together three of the strangest bedfellows in I Google Myself , opening Friday at Northern Light Theatre (NLT).

The first man to surf the net is a socially inept, obsessive computer geek (Trevor Schmidt) that discovers a gay porn star (Jesse Gervais) also shares his moniker. But the porn star stole his stage name from an old school nemesis, a bully turned stoner mechanic (David MacInnis). When the geek tries to reunite the three, their emotional and physical worlds collide leading to comedy and violence.

Written by Jason Schafer, I Google Myself opened off-Broadway in 2007 with a starkly comedic window into society's preoccupation with fame and recognition and how online social media increases people's isolation even as they download the world into their homes.

“Ultimately it's about a search for self — making a connection with people in this insular society. This is about people trying to reach out,” says director Tammy Isaacson.

New to Edmonton's theatre scene, Isaacson honed her skills at Vancouver's Pi Theatre, a playwright-centred indie company dedicated to producing cutting edge works. In 2008 she moved to Edmonton and is now the general manager at Alberta Opera.

Schmidt, who is also NLT's artistic director, discovered the script, purchased the rights in 2008 and passed the script on to Isaacson. She loved the layers, how it could be played with a dark, creepy intensity or with a buffoonish comedic touch.

Finding the right balance was crucial. “It's comic but with very dark, distinctive brush strokes. It's a rollercoaster ride. Once it gets going, it's very fast and furious.”

Isaacson gives much of the credit to Schafer's character development and sparse language. “He has such a good ear for character. It's very bold, very fast paced. There's nothing in it that shouldn't be there. It has a minimalist quality, but with so much information.”

She praises the powerhouse triangle of actors for lifting the words off the page. “This group of actors is so perfectly cast for these roles. There's something about them that just fits. Because of that we were able to tap into greater depths.”

MacInnis, for instance, a former St. Albert martial arts instructor last seen in Citadel's A Christmas Carol and Workshop West's Seed Savers, tends to throw all safety nets into the wind. “He's very willing to try new things without question, to go off in a different direction, to willingly dive in and see where it takes him. That kind of risk-taking is exciting to work with.”

In the end, it's all about opening up new frontiers. “For me it's a great opportunity to push boundaries, to explore territory that is a bit scary and fun.”