HROSES by Jill Connell (It Could Still Happen). At Waterworks (505 Richmond West). Runs to March 4. $20, Sat mat pwyc. itcouldstillhappen.com. See listing. Rating: NNN
Pronounced Horses, this experimental, movement-heavy two-hander mixes French and English dialogue to explore a passionate but unsustainable relationship.
In a rural Quebec take on the Montagues and Capulets, Lily (Sascha Cole) comes from a family of paper farmers who speak English, while Ellery (Frederic Lemay) hails from the neighbouring francophone sugar mining concern. The two families and industries have been at odds for generations, and Lily and Ellery begin a torrid romance on the boundary of their two properties.
The mixing of French and English dialogue as a metaphor for Lily and Ellerys deeper struggle to connect is effective, and while bilingual audience members will be at a clear advantage, you dont need to understand French to easily follow the action.
Writer/director Jill Connell makes great use of light and sound in the cavernous industrial space at Waterworks. The audience sit on either side of a long rectangle where the majority of the slow, symbolic action (by movement designer Tedi Tafel) unfolds. One of the most visually striking moments involves the two large curtains suspended from the rafters that bookend the rectangle stage space. With Lily positioned behind one of these semi-transparent curtains, Ellery uses a vintage projector to create the effect of old 16 mm film footage.
The chemistry between Cole and Lemay is palpable, and the exploration of the essence of untenable relationships feels very authentic, but the play would be stronger if the narrative about rival families, a wild horse and the paper vs sugar operations were less cryptic and better explained or somehow made a more compelling element of the drama.
