Marlene Ginader’s new script Canadian Psycho is an idea that goes nowhere. With virtually nothing to offer, how did it make it onto the stage?
In this solo piece, which the playwright is performing in its premiere production, the central character, Marlene, tell us that “I don’t feel represented in the serial-killer space.” That’s because she’s female and half-Asian; the serial killers hogging all the attention are white men. Okay, that’s a starting point but, thematically and narratively, there is dangerously close to zero meaningful follow-through.
Instead of telling a compelling story or developing ideas, Ginader offers an assemblage of bits. In a series of short scenes, Marlene sees an AI therapist that says things like “Your feelings are valid.” This absurdity is good for a couple of laughs, but the sequence quickly reveals itself as repetitive, shallow and, including its plot twist, pretty much meaningless. An ongoing set of scenes in which an American TV anchor spins didactic variations on the (perfectly valid) point about underrepresentation is so dull. And an extended section in which Marlene takes a test for serial-killer potential, hoping to score high, falls flat because there is no credibility whatsoever to Marlene’s stated desire to be a murderer. This fundamental lack of credibility has implications for the entire satire, of course.
Neither Ginader nor any of the artists who have participated in the process that led to the production of Canadian Psychoseem to be aware of — or care about — the basic theatrical principle that, to hold an audience’s attention, you need to reward it with some kind of accumulation, usually an accumulation of insight.
Nothing accumulates sufficiently in Canadian Psycho. Yes, there are bits, but they are ungrounded and all over the place. Yes, there is research, but it is theatrically underdeveloped.
Because of these faults, the 70-minute run time of Canadian Psycho feels very long.
How is it possible that nobody noticed how unready for production this script is? As far as I know, Ginader is a first-time playwright, but what about the people who should have helped her in this process? Canadian Psycho is being coproduced by Vancouver Asian Canadian Theatre and ITSAZOO Productions. It’s being presented by the Firehall Arts Centre. There are people in every one of these organizations who should have had the wherewithal to say, “Wait a minute. This script needs a lot more work.”
Jenna Rodgers, who acted as both dramaturge (chief writing consultant) on this script and director of this production, comes with a lot of dramaturgical credits but, in the fruits of her labour here, I see no evidence of expertise.
It’s important to develop scripts by playwrights from underrepresented communities. It’s also important to do them the honour of providing them with rigorous feedback. Presenting work that’s so unbaked doesn’t do anybody any favours.
To be clear, I’m not saying that scripts need to be perfect before they’re staged — scripts are never perfect — but, out of respect for the audience and, out of respect for playwrights, before they are staged, scripts need to be in a lot better shape than this draft of Canadian Psycho is.
The design elements in this production are strong. Ryan Cormack’s modernist white set is stylish, and Jonathan Kim’s lighting makes it glow.
CANADIAN PSYCHO by Marlene Ginader. Directed by Jenna Rodger. Co-produced by Vancouver Asian Canadian Theatre and ITSAZOO Productions, presented by the Firehall Arts Centre. Running at the Firehall Theatre until April 12. Tickets and information.
PHOTO CREDIT: Marlene Ginader in the therapy chair on Ryan Cormack’s sleek set. (Photo by Chelsey Stuyt)
THERE’S MORE! You can get all my current reviews PLUS curated local, national, and international arts coverage in your inbox FREE every week if you subscribe to Fresh Sheet, the Newsletter. Just click that link. (Unsubscribe at any time. Super easy. No hard feelings.) Check it out.
0 Comments