The fusion of theatre and politics have been a long-standing tradition for centuries. Beginning with the ancient Greeks, playwrights have often used the stage as a way to voice their political viewpoints in thought-provoking and innovative ways.
Trent students and first-time playwrights Victoria Silvera and Lauren Roberts continue this tradition with their brand new play A Carnal Thing, being presented at The Theatre on King until April 12th.
However, the subject that Silvera and Roberts tackle is so fresh and local that it’s sure to hit an emotional chord with many residents of Peterborough: the Parkway controversy.
Now, I’ll be honest … when I heard about A Carnal Thing, I wondered if I really wanted to see a theatrical production about the Parkway controversy. Is there really anything new to say? I have my own viewpoints, as do many others, and I didn’t expect that a production by theatrical newcomers would sway my decisions or attitude.
As a result, I was pleasantly surprised when I found that A Carnal Thing was not only dramatic and engaging, but it wasn’t what I was expecting at all. It seems that there’s a lot more to say about The Parkway and Jackson Park. While Silvera’s and Roberts’ viewpoints are obviously stated, A Carnal Thing never gets preachy and it is not propaganda. Instead, it’s a nice compact piece of theatre that poses questions to the people of Peterborough about their personal relationship with the city.
A Carnal Thing focuses on the awkward-yet-sweet relationship between two nameless characters, played by Bri Shields and Kyle Chivers. She is an eccentric and talkative activist. He is a brooding street musician with Native American roots. While people pass the musician on the street with barely a glance, Shields becomes fascinated with Chivers, and over a series of vignettes the pair open a dialogue about their personal, spiritual and emotional relationship with the world around them.
It’s interesting to watch how the cast and crew have managed to capture the emotional, political and social spirit of Peterborough in their production. Although they are made up of community outsiders who came to Peterborough via Trent University, they have created a production that could not be about any other city. This is clearly a production about Peterborough people with local concerns.
The wordy and cerebral script, which often reads like Michelangelo Antonioni’s Zabriskie Point, poses a lot of questions that reflect the often heavy, yet hopeful, feeling that is unique to our community.
But A Carnal Thing isn’t all heavy-handed banter. Lighthearted moments during the couple’s trek to Jackson Park bring a strange relief to the production, opening a mythical doorway to Peterborough’s cultural identity. A shout-out goes to John Whelan for his performance of a … well, I’m not sure what he was. Even when I questioned the cast and crew after the performance, I was left without concrete answers to the enigma that was Whelan’s performance. You’ll just have to see it for yourself.
A Carnal Thing is a surprising and raw debut by some of the freshest new faces in Peterborough’s theatrical world. Growing organically from Silvera’s and Roberts’ observations when they attended the city hall meeting about the Parkway, the pair built this production from the ground up in less than six weeks.
Funded by Theatre Trent, this is not a production put on by an established theatre group, but a pet project based on personal convictions and passions. Nearly none of the six performers on stage — nor the director or playwrights — have been involved in theatre before, yet they execute the production with the confidence of seasoned pros.
Bri Shields is exceptionally good in her lengthy and wordy monologues. Meanwhile, Kyle Chivers ties the production together with a number of original songs.
No matter which side of the Parkway debate you are on, A Carnal Thing has the ability to melt the most cynical heart and open up new discussions on Peterborough’s relationship with Jackson Park. It manages to be political without being in the opposition’s face. An interesting first go at the world of theatre, this production is just one more example of the new spirit of creativity which has been growing in the Peterborough community. My only hope is that we see more from Silvera and Roberts and their talented cast of players.
A Carnal Thing runs until April 12 at The Theatre on King in downtown Peterborough. The show starts at 8 p.m. and all proceeds go to the Friends of Jackson Park.
