Your Show Here

Postcard Review by Caroline Russell-King

Show – Your Show Here

Playwright – Daniel MacIvor

Production Company/Theatre space – ReWork Productions, One Yellow Rabbit, High Performance Rodeo / Big Secret Theatre, Werklund Centre.

Length – 1 Act (80 minutes)

Genre/s – Meta Drama

Premise – While simultaneously teaching us we too could have a show, he uses the points, Title, Poster, Lights, Sound etc. to illustrate a seemingly insignificant story about returning from the funeral of his friend and getting stuck in a parking lot for an hour.

Why this play? Why now? – There are people who can take a moment and drill down reflecting our lives and humanity back to us. If you ever see a Daniel MacIvor show being advertised – just go and you will understand.

Curiosities – I wondered, since this play has just been published, why no book signing at the end? Can it be mandatory that every solo show artist should have to see and learn from this man before performing?

Notable Moment – Too many to pick just one.

Notable writing – A Canadian superstar – a legend. He has won the Governor General’s Award, the Siminovitch Prize for Theatre, a New York Obie Award, and others. He has been commissioned by the National Theatre School of Canada, the Stratford Festival, the Canadian Opera Company, and others. With Daniel Brooks, he created and toured internationally seven -one man shows. His work has been translated into six languages. He has written films and won the Canadian Screen Award for best original screenplay. Without sentiment and bogging down as a “grief” play, Your Show Here is a poignant homage to his friend and collaborator. The “your” in this case meaning Daniel Brooks.

Notable performances – Like elite athletes at the top of their game – he makes it look easy.

Notable design/Production – Sound, lights and a chair – that’s all that was needed.

Notable direction – Daniel Brooks is listed as the director (in absentia) which makes it a ghost story of sorts. We feel his presence.

One reason to see this show – It’s Daniel MacIvor, enough said.