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by the Presnyakov Brothers, directed by Adam Bailey

Royal Porcupine Productions, Alchemy Studio Theatre, Toronto

April 18-26, 2008

Most theatre-goers’ knowledge of Russian drama ends with Anton Chekhov, who died in 1904.  We, therefore, owe the whimsically named Royal Porcupine Productions a major debt of gratitude in bringing Toronto up to date.  Terrorism by the Siberian Presnyakov Brothers premiered in Moscow in 2002 and after its successful run in London in 2003 has become the duo’s most performed play.  In its six tangentially related scenes the Presnyakovs’ suggest that terrorrism, far from being an extraordinary circumstance involving us and a mysterious Other, is actually a fact of everyday human interaction if only we would recognize it as such. 

The play begins as a businessman (Marc Gorcey) arrives at an airport only to be told that it is closed until unattended luggage is investigated as a bomb threat.  His absence and unexpected return home set off a chain of events that link the following scenes.  His wife (Tanya Lynne) is having sex with a married man (Cameron Johnston).  Her desire for a little bondage unlocks his desire to turn that power into abuse.  In an office of the businessman’s company a woman has hanged herself in the “Relaxation Room,” thus plunging her co-workers into a wild series of mutual recrimination.  Outside the apartment building where the tryst is taking place, a bigoted old woman recommends that her friend poison her son-in-law to avoid being sent to a nursing home.  The ambiguous ending suggests that all we have seen may have been only the businessman’s daydream.  Whether it is or not is not important.  What the Presnyakovs make clear is that terrorism exists when fear trumps reason and all other emotions to make self-preservation and revenge the primary goals in life.

RPP’s staging is very simple but far from perfect.  The cast varies widely in ability as do the scenes in effectiveness.  The scene between Lynne and Johnston is the best of the evening since it uncovers the roots of terrorism at the most basic level.  The subtlety of their the couple’s acting almost makes one forget they are both completely nude.  Gorcey’s performance from the start suggests a man caught in a world where reality and nightmare are indistinguishable.  Ryan Symington is excellent as two men bullied in different circumstance--one as an office worker, one as a policeman.  RPP uses a cast of 17, whereas other productions have used only nine actors.  Indeed, as with Symington’s characters, the play may gain in meaning by the increased use of doubling.  In any case, director Adam Bailey brings out the play’s salient themes and demonstrates what a fascinating work it is.  Let’s hope to see more of the Presnyakovs’ work in the future.

©Christopher Hoile

Note: A version of this review appeared in Eye Weekly 2008-04-19.

Photo: Marika Schwandt, Ryan Symington, Farah Merani and Megan Liley.

©Lisa May Loveless.