Audiences are getting a fresh take on how technology shapes us as a species, watching the current Theatre Inconnu offering, Dead Man’s Cell Phone by Sarah Ruhl.
This talented young playwright (In the Next Room, The Clean House) has a knack for interspersing her works with suspense and humour, often in equal parts, as she takes on contemporary themes. In this case, it’s an exploration of the paradox of modern technology’s ability to both unite and isolate people in the digital age.
If you’re paying close attention to the story’s subtleties, you’ll find that it also confronts the question of how identity itself is formed. Are we who we think we are? Or are we who others think we are?
Directed by Morgan Gadd, the production stars Melissa Blank as lead character Jean, who impulsively answers a dead man’s cellphone. The story unfolds from there with Ruhl’s trademark blend of suspense and farce.
Perry Burton, Cam Culham, Sarah Heyman, Wendy Magahay and Carilynn Nicholson round out the cast for this fun pre-Halloween theatrical diversion.
Including tonight’s show (Oct. 3) you’ve got nine more chances to see Dead Man’s Cell Phone. Evening showings at 8 p.m. run Oct. 3, 4, 5, 9, 10, 11 and 12, while 2 p.m. matinees happen Oct. 5 and 12.
Tickets are $14, or $10 for seniors, students and the unwaged. Buy them directly through Theatre Inconnu by phone at 250-360-0234 or at the door, if available.
editor@mondaymag.com
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