PREVIEW
The Humans
Co-production between Citadel Theatre and Canadian Stage
Jan. 11 to 27
Citadel Theatre
9828 - 101 A Ave.
Tickets: $30 and up plus fees and GST. Call 780-425-1820 or at http://www.citadeltheatre.com
There are a great many family reunion plays gathering a ton of dust on publishers' shelves. You know the formula. Multiple generations gather for dinner and a few laughs, but during the appetizer hidden secrets start surfacing.
By the second course, everyone is on the defensive and fights erupt. The bittersweet dessert is usually served with either a heavy dollop of gloomy angst or a hopeful dawning.
But playwright Stephen Karam's Canadian premiere of The Humans, now running at the Citadel Theatre until Saturday, Jan. 27, follows the blueprint – to a point.
It's the American Thanksgiving and the members of the Blake family gather at Brigid Blake's (Sara Farb) New York apartment she shares with her boyfriend Rich (Richard Lee).
Her mother Deirdre (Laurie Paton) arrives with mountains of food and unwanted advice while Erik Blake (Ric Reed) , the weary patriarch accompanies his mother Fiona "Momo" Blake (Maralyn Ryan), a senior suffering from advanced dementia.
The eldest daughter, Aimee (Alana Hawley Purvis), is a successful lawyer, but she's suffering from a bout of colitis and has just gone through a bad breakup. This is pretty much a blue-collar family enduring the anxieties of today's lower-middle class – anxieties about lack of money, health, happiness and love.
Several years ago, Jackie Maxwell, former artistic director of the Shaw Festival, kept her ear to the ground for exciting new scripts, and discovered The Humans quickly generated big buzz on the Broadway scene.
"I read it and thought it was very meticulously written in terms of orchestration," said Maxwell. The prominent Canadian director put the word out she was interested in directing Karam's work. Daryl Cloran, Citadel artistic director, picked up the phone and dialed her number.
"It's really a piece anybody can relate to. Although the form is specific, anybody will relate to the characters. There's a lot of emotion in the play although it's not sentimental. There's also anxiety in the play that comes from a secret. And Stephen manifests it well."
Maxwell notes that Maralyn Ryan (Christmas Carol and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof), founding artistic director of St. Albert Children's Theatre, as Momo must deal with the cast's most abstract role.
"She's suffering from dementia and comes out with statements and words that don't always make sense. But she's still a very powerful force even if she's in a wheelchair and can't communicate."
For Ryan it meant building a back story for Momo, a woman the actor characterizes as a strong-willed Irish immigrant that sailed past the Statue of Liberty to make a new life.
"She's independent, strong-willed, deeply religious and has a sense of humour. She lost her husband 10 years ago and fell into dementia. It was a slow process before anyone realized it. She holds on to pieces of her personality. But there's voices in her head and she struggles to communicate," said Ryan.
Ironically, Ryan has built a strong personality only to play Momo at a moment in life when her world is deconstructing.
Momo is possibly the most difficult role Ryan has encountered, especially since the character speaks gibberish.
"As an actor you want to relate to your audience. Although Momo is on stage, she spends a third of the time sleeping. You can't react. You can't talk to anyone. It works against everything I've learned. Keeping your energy high while sleeping is probably the most challenging thing. "
So how does she stay attuned to the goings-on?
"It's all about keeping a story going on in your head and being aware of the audience and actors with this story going on in your head."
Occasionally scripts are padded with quirky characters to generate interest. Not Momo. She's a character everyone sympathizes with.
"She's part of a growing population that suffers from dementia and people caring for people with dementia. Despite everything, she is still loved and tolerated in the way you would care for a child," Ryan said.
She notes that Karam's play is basically about human beings and touches every element of who we are.
When asked what she would like the audience to take away, Ryan replied, "That they laughed a lot. That their heart hurt and that the play would provoke discussion."
