A recent by the Supreme Court of Canada has a Â鶹´«Ă˝Ół»theatre company adjusting its play days before its world premiere.
, a "documentary play" questioning how a former local notary ran one of the largest schemes in Canadian history, will be at the Cultch June 8 to 17.
“We’ve been waiting to find out what would happen with the Supreme Court, because it affects how the play ends and what it means for Samji,” says director , of Theatre Conspiracy’s production.
On May 31, the Supreme Court of Canada . Samji, 65, scammed nearly 300 people, largely retirees and members of Vancouver’s South Asian community, into investing $110 million in a fictional winery expansion between 2003 and 2012.
Samji’s double jeopardy appeal was over the $33-million fine made against her by the B.C. Securities Commission. She felt the fine was punishment enough for the 14 counts of fraud against her, and she shouldn’t have to serve her six-year sentence.
But writer , who became interested in telling this story after his own father was a victim of a less severe fraud, says his three years of research already suggested this ending.
“Samji is the greatest unreliable narrator,” says Carlson both to the Courier and on his , Victim Impact: The Fraudcast. “But she still garnered a lot of sympathy from the public because of her battle with cancer and unfortunate family .”
The longtime journalist-turned-dramaturg/playwright says the podcast — which has three episodes and counting — allows three years of research to be represented in a way no 90 minute production could.Â
“It allows the audience to comb fine-tooth aspects of the case addressed in the play,” adds Parasram.
It is also a platform for people who have been victims of similar schemes to share their stories — be it publically or anonymously through a phone line, email or shared online documents.
“The advertising of this play and podcast might encourage people to come out and learn more about this largely under-reported case,” says Carlson.
“We might be able to stop the next great Ponzi scheme in Canada, or at least help one family recognize they’re in the midst of a fraud,” he adds.
Parasram — who Carlson approached two years ago for his directing skills, as well as his personal connection to Metro Vancouver’s South Asian Community — says Victim Impact is far from your average documentary play.
While much of the show takes place in a serious court setting, there’s a level of absurdity throughout the production considering many facts are still mysterious.
“As a lay person, even the process of Canadian law seems to be a little bit excessive and abusrd, and we tap into film noir aspects to lend humour to the unknown,” says Parasram.
And while Carlson tags Samji as the unreliable narrator, Parasram says that her victims serve as the chorus of the production.
“There was some concern of the cultural representation on stage and ensuring the story we’re telling doesn’t just risk othering the case or othering the community,” says Parasram, specifically of Vancouver’s community.
“We wanted to make a show that speaks to their concerns, since they’re the ones who have been in the spotlight for years.”
From real estate scams, money laundering at casinos, connections to off-shore tax havens to Ponzi schemes, Carlson says it seems like fraud is one of Vancouver's leading industries and looks to question this pattern through Victim Impact’s multimedia productions.Â
