Two highly regarded plays are enjoying a second life after their initial theatrical run.
Off-Mirvish & Crow’s Theatre/The Land Acknowledgement, or As You Like It, written and performed by Cliff Cardinal, creative co-conspiracy by Chris Abraham, CAA Theatre, May 4 to May 7. Tickets here.
On September 30, 2021, I set out to Crow’s Theatre to see a new production by talented Indigenous playwright/performer Cliff Cardinal. It had the intriguing title, William Shakespeare’s As You Like It, A Radical Retelling, and since no other actors had been listed, I was looking forward to Cardinal playing all the roles. (The publicity said that the cast would be announced each night, but I didn’t believe that.)
The evening began with Cardinal casually coming onto the stage with the land acknowledgement, that staple of recognition of historical Indigenous land holdings that begins all performances in all genres. About five minutes later, it began to dawn on me that this was an unusually long announcement, and a few minutes after that, I understood that what I was going to get was a lecture on the tortured relationship between Canada’s Indigenous people and the Settlers who took over their land. Shakespeare was never going to figure into the mix.
There were strong reactions to this performance. One group was furious. They felt duped. They had come to see Shakespeare, and instead got a lecture about the evils of the White people. Another group was angry because they felt that Cardinal was preaching to the choir. They were in complete sympathy with Indigenous grievances and felt that the play was aimed at the wrong audience. Despite these negatives, the play was so popular, the run had to be extended twice.
By the time David Mirvish remounted the show in March of this year, the secret was out — no Shakespeare — hence the renaming of the play. This time, the audience knew what they were getting, and could appreciate the brilliance of Cardinal’s reasoned arguments for what they were. Whether it was his disdain for the token land acknowledgement, his withering update on the state of reconciliation, or his searing condemnation of residential schools and the poignant reminder of all those unmarked graves, Cardinal has produced a profound and deeply moving play. No one could leave the theatre unmoved, and it became an instant sell-out.
Upon seeing the show for the second time, I could better analyze Cardinal’s superb performance, and what I realized even more clearly than the first time was the importance of his mocking humour, both at the Settlers and himself. His harangue is made more palatable by the laughs, and there are plenty of those. Cardinal’s show is built around a charm offensive, and that’s how he wins the audience over. His timing and pacing are impeccable.
Now with this second coming, The Land Acknowledgement, or As You Like It is a run-don’t-walk.
Tarragon Theatre/Behind the Moon, written by Anosh Irani, directed by Richard Rose, Tarragon Extra Space, now streaming to May 31. Chez Vous subscriptions here.
Tarragon’s Chez Vous subscription series allows audiences to view its entire season from the comfort of their own homes. If there is any show you should catch via Tarragon’s digital streaming, it is this one. Anosh Irani’s world premiere Behind the Moon is a very powerful production.
At one climactic point, my inner voice was shouting, “Please don’t kill him, please don’t kill him!” as one of the characters attacked another. That’s how much this play and its characters were getting to me. That’s how much I didn’t want a predictable, even inevitable, bleak ending.
How Irani concludes Behind the Moon, you’ll have to see for yourself. Suffice it to say, that Irani has written another thought-provoking slice of life, with a little magic realism thrown in for good measure.
Right from the start, you sense that Qadir Bhai (Vik Sahay) is dodgy. He is the owner of the fast food Mughlai Moon restaurant, and his treatment of his cook Ayub (Ali Kazmi) is certainly questionable. Something is clearly not right in the way Ayub cowers before his boss. His abject subservience is pathetically cringe-worthy, and so very difficult to witness. And then there is the mysterious customer Jalal (Husein Madhavji) who impacts Ayub’s life in profound ways.
Ayub is the main character of the play, and he gives a spectacular performance, with strong turns by his fellow actors. Behind the Moon is gilded by Richard Rose’s taut, go-for-the-jugular direction, Michelle Tracey’s brilliantly realistic set and costumes, and Jason Hand’s surprisingly intricate lighting.
This is the second play I’ve seen within a year that has dealt with human trafficking, where immigrants, legal or not, are exploited by their own kind. The harrowing our place by Kanika Ambrose was set in the West Indian community, while Behind the Moon features characters who are Mughlai Moslems from Mumbai. That this modern slavery is a terrible problem within the various immigrant communities is something we all seem to know about, but appear powerless to prevent. Something has to be done.
Behind the Moon grabs hold of you from the very beginning and doesn’t let go until the startling ending. While it is an uncomfortable ride, the play is a must see.
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