TOUGH GUY MOUNTAIN: A PLAY
Factory Theatre Studio (125 Bathurst)
Rating: NN
Aug 9 at 5:45 pm, Aug 11 at 5 pm, Aug 12 at 10:15 pm, Aug 15 at 5:30 pm, Aug 16 at 8 pm. 1-888-328-8384, summerworks.ca.
There’s dramatic potential in Iain Soder‘s satire about an evil, soul- and art-destroying corporation. But the writing and execution are so terrible it’s hard to appreciate.
Jessica Brown plays Lisa, an unpaid intern who uncovers a conspiracy against art in the titular Tough Guy Mountain, which is headed by a woman named Queenie Empress (Elizabeth Johnston, channelling 40s era acting), although bigwig Kyle Litecoin (Cale Weir) is involved in some mysterious goings-on.
Competing for advancement are the slick Ivan Phone (Soder) and the geeky Joan Popular (Jonathan Carroll), while William James Kasurak and Sam Roberts (not the singer/songwriter) play life-long unpaid interns who might inadvertently be aiding in the conspiracy.
The production is ambitious, with video projections evoking a low-budget sci-fi feel and the odd musical number thrown in for variety. One effective surreal sequence has Lisa posing with her colleagues for a very awkward Intern of the Month photo op.
But the script needs sharpening, especially around the theme of art. And Soder, who also directs, can’t find a suitable tone for the piece, although the actors do seem to be having fun.
