Blackbird

I went to watch the play Blackbird on Wednesday night. Having just read the play a month or so ago, I had no idea it was even coming to town so was excited to see that it was. This was the story of the young 27 year old woman who confronts the now 55 year old man she had a sexual relationship with when she was 12 and he was 40. Yeah. If you're looking for some controversial and uncomfortable theatre in Vancouver, this is your current best bet.

I thought it was a great production, with two strong actors and a riveting storyline, which as previously noted when I had read the play, was sometimes a bit too sympathetic to the pedophile character and made me wonder just exactly where the writer was coming from and what his intentions were. The play manages to touch upon all the different facets of the situation: the hurt and chaos caused to the victim, the shame and aftermath of the pedophile's life once things come out in the open, both characters trying to move on, the seduction of the adult figure by the younger one, and the possible ongoing cycle of abuse in the adult's new life under a different name.

The East Van Cultural Centre, aka The Cultch, has been renovated so it was nice to see part of the new building. The play takes place in the back, as the main theatre isn't open yet. The only complaint was the heat in there! Somebody needed to put on the A/C!

Blackbird plays at the Cultch until March 29.