“Wrestling is real… it’s the world that’s set up.”
From the very first line, playwright Jacob Richmond captivated the audience at Theatre Passe Muraille at the premiere of his second full-length play, Small Returns. Richmond reunited with director Michael Kessler (who also helmed Richmond’s first play The Quality of Zero) to produce a work that is both thought-provoking and devastatingly funny.
Small Returns isn’t just a story about a confused credit collector struggling with the difference between what is real and not real-it is an examination of the modern epidemic of cynicism sweeping society, as well as a political allegory (did I mention that it has a musical number and a rooftop wrestling match?).
The play revolves around a character called “Point Five” (Jordan Pettle) who works at a credit-collecting company, and is trying to help a widow on the verge of a complete breakdown. Point Five is competing against his coworkers, a bitter old Marxist and a left-wing Irishman with a penchant for hip-hop culture, for a 10% commission that comes with repossessing an unusual item from the company’s toughest and most elusive debtor.
The unusual item is a top-of-the-line prosthetic leg; the elusive debtor is an elderly German woman who writes children’s stories based on her stuffed cat (no, really). Richmond has created a strong and interesting cast of characters that is enhanced by the engaging performances given by the actors themselves. Jordan Pettle as Point Five makes for an easily and immediately relatable character; his confusion and hope were translated flawlessly to the audience. Also of note was Randy Hughson’s wonderful performance of the bitter Marxist, Nate. His timing, intonations, and ease on stage added a richness to his character which gave the entire production a greater depth and realism.
The set design was edgy and cleverly used. Through stage positioning, the actors were able to effectively transform a single set into a living room, an office space, a battlefield, and a rooftop. The use of lighting and sound effects (whether it was radio noise or the voices of the cast emphasizing phrases of dialogue in unison) contributed to making Small Returns a truly engaging theatre experience.
Richmond’s writing is crisp, witty, and relevant. The stage performance was strong, funny, and intriguing. If you want to see innovative new Canadian theatre, go see this play.
