by AMY BARRATT

If Thomas Morison’s Still Once had opened in French at La Licorne, or in a Nouveau théâtre experimental production at Espace Libre, it would most likely have found its audience and done rather well for itself. Because it is, instead, being produced in English by Le Nouveau théâtre anglais, its chances of success are Kate-Moss slim.

This is not a piece that follows conventional play structure. Very little happens on stage, but I think that’s the point; everything of significance is going on beyond the walls of anti-hero Howard (Harry Standjofski)’s house, and he, in his paranoia, is determined to keep it that way.

Morison makes life difficult for himself by creating such an objectionable lead character, but director Michael Springate helps him out by casting funny, likeable Standjofski. His Howard is someone we all know: an angry man with gusts to charming, a smart guy who says he would like to have faith, but secretly believes that faith is for dummies.

This character portrait of, quite literally, a miserable sinner, is the strongest part of Morison’s script. Completely caught up in his own tortured thoughts and inability to sleep, Howard can’t imagine that anyone else has humanity. The other characters are there as foils for Howard, and we tend to see them as he sees them - that is, two-, or even one-dimensionally.

His friend Vern (Stephane Zarov), is a starry-eyed revolutionary fighting some ill-defined revolution involving red balloons and children’s wishes. Laura Mitchell is the oddball neighbour, Louise, whom Howard simultaneously despises and lusts over. In the least-defined role in the piece, Emma Stevens is “family friend” Theresa, whose sole function is to berate Howard’s wife for staying with him. Diana Fajrajsl plays wife Keir as depressed, which she very likely would be living with this boor, but her stylized delivery makes it hard to get a handle on what she is doing.

Vincent Lefèvre’s design, heavy on the red, perverts the traditional colour of Valentine’s Day and subverts the optimistic vision of love currently playing at the Centaur. There are speeches in Still Once that run to the self-indulgent, but it’s that rare theatrical experience that leaves you thinking and puzzling over it hours and even days later. I hope its audience finds it.

God for prez

One of my favourite young playwrights, Joel Fishbane, turns his hand to comedy in his new play. The author of Rhapsody, which explored the last days of composer George Gershwin, now offers us An Act of God, in which he has the deity running for political office. Co-produced by Fishbane’s Pumpkin Theatre and infinitheatre, it stars Jessica Mackenzie, Shawn Baichoo and Scott Faulconbridge.

NTS blitz

The New Words Festival, a triple-bill of new works by National Theatre School graduating playwrights directed by graduating directors, features rotating performances of Hemlock, by Stephanie Alexander, Vita, by Ivana Shein, and The Girls Who Saw Everything, by Sean Dixon. It will build to a frenzy next weekend with the Festival Blitz, in which all three plays can be seen in 24 hours. :

Still Once, to March 2 at Theatre La Chapelle (3700 St-Dominique), Tues–Sat 8pm, Sun 7pm, $12–$18, 843-7738

An Act of God, Feb. 20–March 2 at the Infinite Space (3654 St-Laurent), Thurs–Sat, 8pm, Sunday, 7pm, $12–$15

New Words Festival, to March 1 at the du Maurier Theatre of the Monument-National, $5, 871-2224 for showtimes

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