Review by Roxanne Kalenborn
You know how when you’re at
Ikea, minding your own business picking out a new bathmat, when all of a
sudden, the couple in bathroom fixtures starts arguing about whether to get
brass or steel towel holders? LOUDLY? And you know the fight’s not actually about
the choice between steel or brass. And you KNOW you’re not supposed to
eavesdrop, but at the same time you want to grab a bucket of popcorn and enjoy
the show? That’s how I felt for most of the world-premiere of Common Grace at
Pacific Theatre. And I loved it.
Common Grace is the story of
a family reeling from the death of their beloved father, and the ways that
grief can force families to come to terms with long hidden secrets and the
conflicts that get swept under the rug. Colleen, played by Shauna Johannesen
[also the playwright (!)], arrives home for her father’s funeral after a hasty
move to Edmonton to start afresh after finding herself in the middle of a
romantic conflict. What happens during her time back is a good reminder to us
all that you can run away from home, but your problems will still be right
where you left them. This play was a wonderful reflection on the nature of
grief, thwarted desire, and what happens when you’re forced to confront just
what you turned your back on.
Common Grace is playing at
Pacific Theatre through February 14.
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