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Something is Missing

MISSING by Florence Gibson, directed by David Ferry (Factory, 125 Bathurst). To April 5, Tuesday-Saturday 8 pm, matinee Sunday 2 pm. $15-$37. 416-504-9971. Rating: NNN


A wife vanishes from her southwestern Ontario farmhouse and a female detective (Fiona Highet), assigned to solve the mystery, comes up against the husband (Alan Van Sprang) who’s not happy about having a woman on the case.

It’s the early 70s, feminism is a dirty word to many men and the detective, intent on proving herself in a new job, discovers parallels between the difficult investigation and her own marital problems.

That’s the setup for Missing, Florence Gibson’s often thoughtful piece about the choices women make and relationships that offer both comfort and distress. Linked to the main story are scenes in a local diner, ruled by the talkative owner (Kyra Harper), who’s helped by a dependent older man (Guy Bannerman) and a new employee (Shauna Black).

There’s lots going on, but we’re kept from emotional involvement with the characters in part by director David Ferry’s regular breaking of the story’s realism his staging of the choral scenes also feels forced. But just as uninvolving is the triangle of the detective, her husband (Andrew Gillies) and the farmer there’s little angry or passionate fire here. Highet’s a fine actor, but with no chemistry between her and Van Sprang, the pair’s taunts, fights and growing interest don’t build necessary tension.

The diner scenes are more successful, in part because of the repartee between the two women. Harper’s engaging motormouth with a heart is perceptively able to read those around her, while Black’s performance as the chameleon-like newcomer doesn’t call attention to itself until a finely written speech near the end.

Gibson’s ideas about love and independence are often intriguing, but the drama that surrounds them needs sharper writing and better staging.

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