SS a aS a FS are a eee a ah > Rane Re Pe

 

 

Excellent performances
throughout tragicomic play

 

 

 

Cody Klyne

 

na good day in Soviet Russia back in the
O 20" century, there was little to celebrate. No
jobs. No hope. No direction. No worth.
What would have happened if something had

come along and changed everything? Suddenly,
there’s hope for one individual and a chance to make

‘Pins.

ouglas College's The Suicide is painless

an impression that breathes a sense of hope into the
hopeless.

While the character of Semyon and his actions
largely dictate the pace and course of The Suicide,
the remaining cast of characters not only round
out the experience, but mark some of the highlight
performances of the night.

Played by Tracy Schut and Gabi Barradas
respectively, an interesting chemistry between the
mother-daughter duo emerged in Maria Lukianovna
and Serafima IlInichna. While the words “charming”
and “endearing” first come to mind for the desperate

Tapping into the right balance of self-serving-self-hatred, childish bitterness, and
laughable helplessness, Luke Johnson’s portrayal of the hilariously tragic man-
of-the-hour, Semyon Semyonovich Podsekalnikov, is an enjoyable look into the

eyes and reality of human desperation.

a statement; a chance for the everyman to rise up
and become important. Sounds good? Suddenly, the
world doesn’t seem so bleak and meaningless. The
only catch is a small sacrifice. Your life.

This idea and more are explored through
comically charged scenes depicting humiliation,
frustration, and desperation in this season’s, John
Cooper-directed Douglas College production of
Nikolai Eadman’s, The Suicide.

Tapping into the right balance of self-serving-
self-hatred, childish bitterness, and laughable
helplessness, Luke Johnson’s portrayal of the
hilariously tragic man-of-the-hour, Semyon
Semyonovich Podsekalnikov, is an enjoyable look
into the eyes and reality of human desperation.
Expertly shifting from cringe-worthy scenes of
childish tantrum to more introspective monologues
contemplating the existence of life after death,
Johnson’s character is deeply explored throughout
the production. Indecisive from the opening act,
Semyon is emotionally driven by a half-hearted
desire to prove himself, but not improve. That said,
inevitably, the character appears to see lasting growth
due to a combined effort of personal persuasion
and external motivation. As limited as this growth
may be, over the course of the production it leaves

housewife that is Lukianovna, much can be said for
the unexpected, quirky character of Ilnichna who’s
awkward, god-fearing, and atypical behaviour is
refreshing for the matriarchal role.

Many of the supporting characters deserve
mention here, Alexander Petrovich Kalabushkin,

a deceivingly complex, Casanova-like neighbour
played by Spencer Fisher, brought an interesting
level of intrigue—which seemed to create a domino
effect—in the direction of the plot that was initially
undetermined. Further more, the character of
Aristarch Dominikovich Golaschapov, an eccentric
and exquisitely verbose member of the Russian
Intelligentsia, convincingly played by Chris Lam,
represents an interesting apex in sheer comedy-to-
time-on-stage ratio.

At first glance of what Douglas College’s
theatre department has to offer, The Suicide has
certainly set the bar high. From the overall quality
of the performances by the cast, to the highly
atmospheric and involved lighting, stage design,
and accompanying live music, there was a level of
professionalism and confidence that rarely wavered
throughout all levels of the production. Never
before has suicide and Soviet Russia seemed more
appropriated to laugh about.