Vigil
At Performing Arts Lodge (PAL) until June 24
Tickets: 1-800-838-3006 brownpapertickets.com
Heres the thing about a Morris Panych play: if you know his work, you see someone very like Panychor the persona he affectsthrough all the darkly funny lines in every play. Theres always a character thats misanthropic, sometimes hypochondriacal and lonely deep, deep down. Consequentially the plays are very funny and very sad. Maybe Panych is really a happy-go-lucky optimist masquerading as a cynic, but thats not likely.
In the program notes for the Wyndham Theatre (in Londons West End), he dedicated the production to, all who have died and all whove not yet got around to it. Thats the acerbically funny Panych touch right there.
Vigil premiered at Victorias Belfry Theatre in 1995, has been produced at over 30 theatres in Canada, the U.S. and abroad and is Panychs most widely produced play. Part of the reason for its success is that its a two-hander with a single, simple set. Of the two characters, the female has only two words in Act 1 and a small handful of lines in Act 2, which is not to say the role is simple. Its actually very demanding having to react to what is a long one-sided conversation in which Kemp (Allan Zinyk) trashes his mother (an alcoholic), his father (a suicide), Christmas (no gifts), his former boss at the bank (mean-spirited) and everything in and out of sight.
Actor Anna Hagan, as Grace, sits knitting in bed with a couple of forays across the room for a smoke or, in an extended scene, stands up in her bed and does an inane little dance whilst wearing a tiny, New Years Eve party hat. Too young by at least two decades and with not much to say, Hagan has no recourse but to put on a grouchy old face and hope were convinced.
The really heavy lifting is Zinyks. With his hair grey and wild and his characters embittered heart on his sleeve, Zinyk (best known for comedy) takes Kemp from nasty to misty, delivering Panychs wickedly funny lines with impeccable timing. In one short scene, for example, Kemp decorates a scrawny little Christmas tree with balled up Kleenex. Just as we think Kemp might be getting sentimental, Zinyk grabs the tree, tosses it offstage with, Yes. Well, I think weve had enough of that.
The vigil that Kemp keeps arises from his aunts letter alerting him to her imminent death. He quits his job and comes to her bedside hoping to get his hands on her money. But as the months pass, the old gal seems to be getting no closer to dying; Im concerned about your health, he says. It seems to be improving.
Theres a big twist in the play. The first time I saw it, I didnt see it coming. When you know its coming, the focus shifts away from plot to performance. Its not as much fun but it really makes you appreciate Panychs intelligent, quirky writing. Absolutely unforgettable was Ken MacDonalds set for the Arts Club production years ago: a sepia-toned jumble of stuff in a room with all the windows taped over with yellowed newspapers. Hard to beat but Glenn MacDonald makes the best of a small space and a much smaller budget.
Like Minded Theatre Co-Op, inspired by Western Gold Theatre Society (founded by distinguished Canadian actor Joy Coghill) is a group of mature artists committed to giving back to the community of senior artists. All the proceeds of this production, directed by Kim Selody, go to PAL to provide affordable housing for retired, semi-retired or still-working senior theatre artists.
