Infinithéâtre closes season
with Open House

Wry comedy deftly navigates conversations of oppression, colonization and middle-class aspirations

By Irwin Rapoport

April 22, 2024

Infinithéâtre is closing its 2023-24 season with the world premiere production of Open House, the latest play by Drew Hayden Taylor, one of Canada’s most prolific writers, being presented at Factory Studios from April 18 to 28.

Directed by Dian Marie Bridge, Taylor’s newest play “is a literal and philosophical examination of our tendency to compare and compete, frequently along cultural lines, and the human tendency to attach ourselves emotionally to the concept of land-ownership,” states the press release for the production. “Open House follows five individuals who show up at an open house, hoping to find their perfect home. Each feels the most deserving to win the prize. Debate ensues, and emotions ignite.”

… [Open House] is a literal and philosophical examination of our tendency to compare and compete, frequently along cultural lines, and the human tendency to attach ourselves emotionally to the concept of land-ownership…

The play is especially relevant as Canada recently experienced a hot real estate market that had so many people vying for homes and willing to pay exorbitant prices to acquire a dwelling. Sometimes, the fight to secure a property entered bizarre and unchartered territory. And, of course, many who purchase homes do so to establish a dream home that suits them as perfectly as possible.

“Open House was an idea I’ve had for a while now, exploring the concepts, humorously, of which culture could claim the right to have been the most oppressed in Canadian history,” said Taylor, an Ojibway from the Curve Lake First Nations in Ontario.

Open House

For those unaware of Taylor, he has worn many hats in his literary career and built upon those experiences as a playwright. According to the press release, he “performed stand-up comedy at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC, to being Artistic Director of Canada’s premiere Native theatre company, Native Earth Performing Arts. He has been an award-winning playwright, a journalist/columnist (appearing regularly in several Canadian newspapers and magazines), a short-story writer, novelist, and television scriptwriter, and worked on numerous documentaries exploring the Native experience. An author of more than 20 plays, his popular plays such as Toronto at Dreamer’s Rock, Only Drunks and Children Tell the Truth, The Berlin Blues, AlterNatives, and Cottagers and Indians have left their mark on the Canadian theatre scene.”

‘Open House is a play ripe with irony, skating along the edge of satire, leaving the audience questioning their complicity in shaping and accepting the way our culture and economy works.’

– Dian Marie Bridge, Director, Open House

Bridge, who has directed several plays, is keen on the play. “Open House is a play ripe with irony, skating along the edge of satire, leaving the audience questioning their complicity in shaping and accepting the way our culture and economy works. It’s said that moving is one of the most stressful events in life,” she said. “So, when shopping for a new home, the characters in Drew Hayden Taylor’s Open House find themselves vying for favour in this wry comedy that deftly navigates conversations of oppression, colonization and middle-class aspirations.”

* * * * *

Dian Marie Bridge, the director, and Jovanni Sy, who portrays Ned Leong, discuss their roles in the play and how it came together in the Q&A below:

WM: How do you feel about working on a new text like Open House?

Bridge: I have a long history of working on new plays, but usually, it has been with emerging writers. Drew is someone that I have admired for a long time, and it’s really thrilling to have worked with him on this piece.

WM: What did you do to prepare to direct this production?

Bridge: I have actually been working with Drew over the last year as a dramaturge, helping develop the play. A part of that process was doing table-read workshops, the last one being in October.

WM: What do you hope audiences will take away from this play?

Bridge: This play is not a conventional “well-made play.” There is no hero or resolution. We are left with all of the thoughts and actions of our characters, which ultimately is a more true-to-life account of interactions with strangers. My hope is that audiences will leave having seen the world through the eyes of another person who is a little different than they are. I hope audiences reflect on the fact that most of us share common goals of finding a stable home, feeling seen and heard, and understanding that our view of the world is not the only one.

WM: What inspires your work as a director?

Bridge: I am inspired by work that allows the audience to completely step into the piece and the real world, time and anything outside the play fall away. I aspire to make that kind of work.

WM: Are there any particular directors or artists that inspire you?

Bridge: I feel like there is so much more I need to see and people I need to meet. No favourites, but when I need inspiration, I go to see a dance or go to a gallery.

WM: Are there any specific elements that have guided you in your approach to directing?

Bridge: I tend to look for the music in the piece when directing. I look for which character is carrying the base/throughline, who gets to pop in and out, and how the piece comes together like a song.

WM: What does it mean to you to be performing in Open House?

Sy: I’m particularly excited to be in this production because it will be my Montreal acting debut. After thirty-two years as a professional, I’ve been fortunate to act in almost every city across Canada, as well as in the U.S. and overseas. It’s been a real pleasure working with my cast mates and getting to know some of the terrific artists in this community.

WM: What do you hope audiences will take away from this play?

Sy: Open House is a play that broaches some difficult conversations with a great deal of humour. It’s every bit as entertaining as it is thought-provoking.

Open House at Factory Studios from April 18 to 28.

infinitheatre.com

Images: Maxime Côté