SPECIAL CONSTABLES written by Alec Toller, and the cast (Circlesnake Productions). At the Storefront Theatre (955 Bloor West). To Saturday (December 21). $20. secureaseat.com. See listings. Rating: NNN
This fast-paced action parody sets its heists, fights and chase scenes close to home in a familiar setting: the TTC. With transit woes a near-daily occurrence, having a good laugh at the Better Way is actually quite therapeutic.
The central joke hinges on the quasi-police force that patrolled the system until being disbanded in 2011. (Coincidentally, the TTC and the Toronto Police just decided to restore special constables last week.) The cancellation provides writer/director Alec Toller with the perfect backdrop to imagine the trope of the disgraced, reckless cop from movies like Lethal Weapon and 48 Hours playing out on the TTC.
The stock characters are quickly introduced: Jameson (Tim Walker), a hard-boiled ex-special constable with a reputation for taking things too far, who’s been sidelined ever since “the incident” his two ex-partners, nerdy computer specialist Mouse (Amy Kitz) and slow-witted muscleman Stokes (Conor Bradbury). They’re pitted against a ring of tunnel-dwelling Metropass thieves and token forgers led by awesomely named mastermind Three Tone (Colin Munch) and his two underlings, Rails (Chris Wilson) and Skitch (Mikaela Dyke).
Like a subway, the plot never deviates from a predictable track, but Toller and the very able cast, drawn from local troupes Sex T Rex and Peter n’ Chris, score consistent laughs with jokes designed for TTC riders about the long gap between St. Clair West and Eglinton West stations or the old handful-of-change fare-evasion trick.
With minimal sets, the cast use inventive group movement to conjure up turnstiles and subway cars. In one memorable sequence – a streetcar chase up Spadina – Three Tone jumps up on top of one of the cars, the shift in levels nicely conveyed by the crouching actors portraying the streetcars.
Munch’s trench-coat-clad villain is the most fun to watch the best moments find him making incredibly dark threats to his minions, only to quickly dial it back and play it like he was only kidding. Munch’s captivating performance makes it clear that he’d be just as convincing as a totally serious evildoer.
Though there are few surprises, the string of local laughs makes the 90-minute ride worth the fare.
