by AMY BARRATT

Amid a flurry of English theatre openings showcasing slightly-used British and American plays, Soulfishing Theatre’s One Small Step Sideways is like the invigorating blast of a steam engine. Perhaps the simile is a bit strained - what I mean to say is that this collective creation has a look, a sound and a character all its own. It’s not that we require every show to be an original show, but without small companies willing to take that risk, our theatre scene would be in a morbid state, despite weekly openings.

Soulfishing established itself in 2000 with a memorable production of Judith Thompson’s Crackwalker. They subsequently produced a couple of one-acts under the title Falling South. Their first creation, One Small Step Sideways is inspired by the image of the train, “The first land transport to exceed the speed of living things.”

It uses the train image to explore a culture obsessed with moving forward, one that consequently sees time only as a straight line. The various characters in the piece span several generations but are united by a place, Track 776.

One Small Step ultimately offers an optimistic, even sentimental message: that it may be possible to recapture the past, and that nothing really dies. But it’s not primarily a message piece, or even a narrative, but a piece about images and sound. It’s a show that gives at least as much thought to the design elements as it does to the performances.

To begin with, there’s the space: an odd little hole-in-the-wall behind a long, thin, no-décor café called L Corridor. The performance space, Hors Bord, is also set up like a corridor, or a train car. There is no conventional seating. Spectators are moved around a certain amount by usher/porters but spend most of the 70-minute play sitting on the edge of the platforms that run the length of the room on both sides.

It is an intimate experience for all involved. The set design is by Amy Keith, with all kinds of creative lighting by Ana Cappelluto. Finally, there’s an electroacoustic soundscape by Carey Dodge - sampling everything from a string quartet to folk tunes - that not only supports the action but helps give it shape.

I like this show because it feels like it’s more about making something new and different than showing off what a good actor anybody is - though it just happens to have one of the best ensemble casts we’ve seen in a while: Graham Cuthbertson, Carol Hodge, Ion Ivanovici, Mindy Parfitt and Michelle Sutcliffe. Direction is by Alex Ivanovici.

All in all, a small step well worth taking.

The Purple 9 challenge

Purple 9 Productions, having wrapped up its Glengarry Glen Ross, follows it up starting tomorrow with Closer, by Patrick Marber, a contemporary comedy-drama about two couples who may be a little too interested in each other. Check it out to see if the company succeeds in its stated goal, “Bringing good quality theatre back to the city.” :

One Small Step Sideways, to Feb. 2, Thurs–Sat, 8pm, Fri–Sat late shows at 11pm, Sunday 2pm. at Hors Bord, (3655 St-Laurent, #104,) $10/$12

Closer, Jan. 31, Feb. 1–2, 6–8 at Cheney Hall, Erskine United Church (Du Musée corner Sherbrooke), 8pm

>> Stage Listings