Talented cast deserves longer play

Page 5

"I don't understand women."

These are the opening words in All of My Relationships, a one-act play written by Curtis Ahenakew, who also plays the lead character Randy. His confusion about women and relationships isthe basis for the play, which was presented by Injun' Nuity Theatre Company, in association with Theatre in the Raw. It debuted at the Vancouver Aboriginal Friendship Centre on Nov. 21 to a sold-out audience.

Randy has had five relationships in the last seven years, with his most recent being on the verge of destruction because of late-night calls from a flirtatious "other woman" named Muriel, played by Shauna Wagner. Randy's girlfriend Rachel is played by Melanie Morriseau, who not only displays a solid acting talent, but an angelic voice when she sings Buffy St. Marie's "Darling Don't Cry."

With strange women leaving messages on their answering machine, Rachel is sure that Randy is being unfaithful. Meanwhile, Randy's sure that she's the one doing the cheating.

Randy's effeminate friend Trent, played by the hilarious Blake Webber, takes him in to let him sort out his relationship issues, but doesn't shy away from calling Randy on his indecisive nature. "You're supposed to be a chief! A chief of what?" Trent asks him, more than once.

With encouragement from Trent, Randy makes an appointment to see a counsellor. He gets more than he bargained for when he walks into the office of Lori, the sultry and seductive counsellor. Played by Jerilynn Webster, who won Most Memorable Performance for her role in Medicine at The Greater Vancouver Zone Festival, Webster could be crowned Queen of Innuendoes in this role.

"You have a big . . . family," she said suggestively. After their second session together, Lori decides the best therapy for Randy is treatment for codependency-in Nashville, Tenn. Randy agrees to go.

All of My Relationships portrays a short distance on Randy's personal journey and touches on the colorful personalities of the friends around him. Directed by Jay Hamburger, founder of Theatre in the Raw, the play boasted strong performances by the actors, including Duane Howard, who played the part of Pat, and Laurie Simon, who played Monica.

With the diverse talents of the seven-member cast, and the feeling that there could be much more to the story, the play is bursting at the seams, begging to be more than one-act.