DIDN’T HURT by Rodney Decroo (Tonic Records/Fringe). At Tarragon Extraspace. July 6 at 12:45 pm, July 7 at 5:30 pm, July 9 at 3 pm, July 11 at 6:15 pm, July 12 at 9:30 pm, July 13 at 8:30 pm. See listing. Rating: NNNN
Rodney Decroo welcomes the audience to his autobiographical solo show by explaining he won’t be offended if they walk out. Indeed, the the Vancouver performer’s stories of childhood trauma at the hands of his Vietnam veteran father make the term “toxic masculinity” seem like a quaint one. This smartly constructed and gut-wrenching performance goes deep inside the Coming Home narrative to explore the legacy of violence that ripples through the lives of damaged war veterans and lives on in those around them.
Channeling his eager and wide-eyed younger self, Decroo tells stories about his abusive father that show the ways he learned to see vulnerability as a weakness. As his family moves from northern British Columbia back to his birthplace in Pittsburgh he evolves into a hardened adult, easily triggered to attack. He comes to recognize his flashbacks and fits of rage as post-traumatic stress disorder and begins a process of self-excavation.
Decroo, who is also a singer/songwriter, adeptly imparts vivid detail with a succinctness that captures the intimacy of violence as well as its wider social connotations. Over an absorbing 75 minutes, Didn’t Hurt – directed by TJ Dawe – becomes an indictment for a culture that’s indifferent to poverty and war, but this show is not about skirting personal accountability. An elliptical structure cleverly emphasizes the personal stakes and Decroo, at times, transcends performance in powerful moments when his art and therapy seem inextricably intertwined.
