Though a play about medically assisted suicide may prompt certain preconceived notions, In Seven Days defies expectations by firmly anchoring itself in the hearts of the living.
In Seven Days, beautifully penned by Jordi Mand, follows multiple protagonists in the same Jewish family, whose collective and individual lives are rocked by the news of the imminent and planned death of their patriarch, Sam, (Ron Lea).
Rachel, (Shaina Silver-Baird) Sam’s 30-year-old daughter, is blindsided by her father’s decision to end his own life in one week during a supposedly routine visit to her childhood home.
The revelation sends her into an involuntary panic, much to the dismay of her stepmother, Shelly, (Mairi Babb) who has been aware of Sam’s choice for some time.
At first, Shelly presents as a neurotic homemaker and overbearing mother figure, whose relationship with Rachel is riddled with unresolved tensions, though her genuine love for Sam shines.
Upon receiving the news, Rachel’s ex-boyfriend Darren (Brendan McMurtry-Howlett) shows up, in part to support her, but also in a desperate and final attempt to secure Sam’s long awaited approval.
But amid the unforeseen chaos, there exists a balance of humour and strife. A tone carefully crafted by Mand and astutely executed by Director Philip Akin.
“I love plays that have challenges or traps in them, and I felt there was a really wonderful fine line to be found between the writing and the playing of the script,” Akin told Now Toronto.
Tekla Hendrickson, Executive Director of MAidHouse, a non-profit supporting those eligible to receive medical assistance in dying (MAiD), works extensively with families whose loved ones have chosen MAid, and commended both Mand and Akin for the production’s articulate portrayal of the spectrum of human emotion experienced by the people she helps.
“We see this in real life as people are going out. One of the things I really like about the play were the transitions and the timing, because I see when we’re providing support, people are taking those moments and there is a vast array of emotions happening very quickly at the same time,” Hendrickson explained.
Akin chooses to mark those feelings with dramatic tonal shifts, often depicted through lighting changes that spotlight a single character caught in a quiet moment of reflection.
The transitions are also an effective plot device; they “drive the action into the background,” and “move the story forward,” Akin said.
The teachings of Judaism are central to the plot, and are represented predominantly through the presence of Sam’s Rabbi and lifelong friend, Eli (Ralph Small).
At first, Eli refuses to be in the room when Sam passes because his Jewish faith prevents him from doing so. But as the play unfolds, his attitude shifts, a reflection not only of his coming to terms with Sam’s choice, but an acknowledgement of the need for adaptable religious leadership.
“This [decision] is one of the most challenging things he [Eli] has had to deal with because it doesn’t just challenge him on a religious level, it challenges him on a very personal level,” Mand explained.
Despite its premise, to label In Seven Days a show about death would be to dismiss its vivaciousness. Its characters are complex and evolving, the dialogue is sweetened by comedic retort and intensified by profound emotion, and Sam is at peace from the outset. Unwavering, deeply loveable, devoted, always funny, and, his fate aside, the lifeblood of this fascinating story.
In Seven Days is playing until May 16 at the Meridian Arts Centre, tickets are available to purchase here.
