Reviewed by James Karas
The Surrogate is a gripping drama now playing at Crow’s Theatre in
Toronto. It is a new play by Mohsin Zaidi (his first) and deals with the complex
subject of two married gay men trying to have a child using a surrogate mother in
Louisiana. That is a large canvas to paint on.
Sameer
(Fuad Ahmed), a Muslim, is a hotshot lawyer from New York and comes from a
wealthy family. Originally Canadian, he is married to Jake (Thom Nyhuus), a
writer who has not published anything but is hoping to turn their experience of
becoming parents using a surrogate mother into a book. Jake and Sameer proclaim
their love and kiss each other passionately even though Sameer has a penchant
for having sex with other men.
Marya
(Sarena Parmar) is a Muslim and has agreed to be the surrogate mother to help
the men. She believes that the child will be a Muslim and she needs money to pay
the medical bills of her very ill husband.
The
play takes place on a single set designed by Scott Penner consisting of a
hospital bed with a large mirror on top where Marya is lying. We are in Louisiana
where surrogacy agreements are not recognized. Christina (Antonette Rudder) is the nurse in
charge, a no-nonsense woman who knows what she is doing. The fifth character is
Qasim (Siddharth Sharma), a hotblooded young man and the son of Marya.
Zaidi
packs the play with incidents but at times I felt there were too many complications
and the author and dramaturge Christopher Manousos could have eliminated some
of the without losing the impact of the
drama. Sameer is a mama’s boy of a domineering woman and he wants to provide her
with a grandson. We never see her but we learn that she does not want to see her
son’s husband.
And
what if Marya wants to keep the baby? In Louisiana legally she can do that. Can
she be transferred to Texas where the law recognizes those agreements? The
question of medical expenses arises but Sameer states that he can cover them no
matter what. He is litigation-happy and at times arrogant and threatens to sue
the hospital if he does not get his way.
Nurse
Christina has her own issues with giving birth and the firebrand Qasim is so upset
with what is happening he spits in Sameer’s face.
Problems,
issues, encounters and arguments arise in quick succession keeping (us?) rivetted to the plot developments. Marya has
had a seizure and there is uncertainty about giving birth by Caesarian section
or waiting for the child to develop. There are significant dangers either way.
Who has the right to decide, Sameer and Jake under an agreement not recognized
in Louisiana or Marya’s son?
The
small Crow’s theatre provides an intimacy that gives additional power to the
stunning performances by the cast. We are kept on the edge of our seats as the prospective
parents encounter medical uncertainties, tension between them, being put aside
by Nurse Christine and having to deal with the fear of losing their child to
Marya or death.
The
dramatic intensity created by the various conflicts is relentless and one does
not know where to turn. What we do know is to heap praise on the five actors for
their exquisite acting. Ahmed as Sameer is arrogant, concerned, bombastic,
cowed by his mother, and a lover. A complex character beautifully defined. Nyhuus
as Jake loves Sameer but he is unsure of himself, has doubts and fears and is
financially dependent on Sameer. Superb acting. Kudos to Rudder as Christina
who has to balance a lot of arguments that are aimed at her.
I
will not disclose the dramatic finale .
___________________
The Surrogate by Mohsin Zaidi, in a production by Here For Now Theatre in Association with Crow’s Theatre, House and Body, and BCurrent Performing Arts will run until March 29, 2026, at Crow’s Theatre, 345 Carlaw Avenue, Toronto, Ontario. http://crowstheatre.com/
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