OUR PLACE – REVIEW OF NEW PLAY AT THE THEATRE PASSE MURAILLE

Reviewed by James Karas 

Our Place is the ironic title of a new play by Kanika Ambrose, now playing at Theatre Passe Muraille in Toronto. It tells the dramatic, funny and moving story of two undocumented Caribbean migrants in Canada who fight to survive and maintain their humour and humanity. It is superb theatre.

Playwright Kanika Ambrose’s play has four characters and is set in a Caribbean food restaurant in the Toronto suburb of Scarborough. Andrea (Virgilia Griffith) and Niesha (Sophia Walker) work for the unseen owner Yvonne and of necessity are paid under the table. They live under the Sword of Damocles which may fall on them at any time if the police find out their status and deport them. 

Andrea is an attractive, fun-loving woman with a lissome body who loves dancing but is not too crazy about working. She has a relationship with Malcolm (Tremaine Nelson), a fun-loving young man who is averse to serious relationships and to providing information about himself.

Niesha is a hard worker who has children “back home” and struggles to support them. Both women come from fictitious Caribbean islands. She is a tragic figure who eschews passing relationships until she meets the charming and manipulative Eldrick (Pablo Ogunlesi). He goes to the restaurant where she works and slowly weasels his way into her life and offers her a way out. He will marry her because he loves her and she will become a legal immigrant. This would involve some expenses that she will have to defray but, he insists, he loves her.

Virgilia Griffith and Sophia Walker. Photo: Gesilayefa Azorbo

Both women look for a refuge, for a place they can call their own. Malcolm, the shallow fun-seeker, can offer nothing more than a casual sexual relationship. Andrea’s fate is devastating.

Niesha’s relationship with Eldrick is developed more slowly as we see a decent woman manipulated into giving all her money and borrowing even more to Eldrick who will use his connections to legitimize her status by marrying her. The final scene takes place in a hotel room after their wedding. Eldrick wants to have sex with his bride. Niesha has finally grasped her fate completely. She tries desperately to delay or avoid having sex with Eldrick. In a heart-wrenching moment, she calls her children in the Caribbean and tells them she loves them. She must make the ultimate choice. I will not disclose it.

The play has a split set in the small theatre. The restaurant with the chairs and tables and a view of the kitchen is the main set.  On the side, there is a large bed representing a bedroom or a hotel room. Kudos to Sim Suzer for designing the set and costumes.

The acting is superb. Nelson does fine work as the fun-loving Malcolm. Griffith as Andrea and the choreographer of the production does superb and provocative dances and maintains a sunny view of life despite the ugly reality that threatens to destroy her.

Ogunlesi’s Eldrick is a subtle, patient, manipulative man who sees his prey Niesha and makes her fall in love with him and then springs his trap on her. She trusts him completely in the beginning and his protestations of love start to sound hollow. A marvelous performance by Ogunlesi. 

                               Pablo Ogunlesi and Sophia Walker. Photo: Gesilayefa Azorbo

Sophia Walker’s performance as Niesha is stunning. We see Niesha as a hard worker, calculating her pennies for her survival and the care of her children. Her relationship with the decent-looking Eldrick develops into love until he starts asking for some money to pay for expenses like the wedding. The truth of his intentions strikes her after the wedding when in her wedding gown in the hotel room, she has to face her horrifying situation.          

All the characters speak in a thick and often incomprehensible Caribbean accent. Director Sabryn Rock who does an excellent job in directing the entire play makes sure that the actors maintain the accent throughout. She also understands that many of us may not be able to follow all that is said and she provides us with surtitles. They helped but I found myself at times trying to read the surtitles instead of following the action. To the credit of the actors, the emotional range of the pay was delivered so missing a few words did not affect the power of the play.

A view of the lives of people that are open to exploitation and living under the fear of deportation is a reality that many  people prefer to ignore. Our Place tells us that we should not. But I do need more exposure to their accent so I will not have to read the surtitles.

Stunning theatre.

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Our Place by Kanika Ambrose in a production cy Cahoots Theatre and Theatre Passe Muraille will run until December 3, 2022 at Theatre Passe Muraille, 16 Ryerson Avenue, Toronto, Ontario. www.passemuraille.on.ca