The greatest challenge I face in writing this review of As Above is containing my praise to the word limit. You simply must see this play.
Written by rising star Christine Quintana, As Above offers a vague premise—Jo, an ecologist, eight years sober from alcohol and struggling to rebuild her life, receives a mysterious phone call from her estranged daughter.
But what the story delivers is anything but vague.
In its 90-minute run time, Jo navigates some of the hardest questions a human being can tackle. How can she live with the pain she has undeniably caused, individually as a sober addict, and culturally as the descendant of colonizers? How can you live in the moment, be present with new connections, when the bed you’ve made is so painful? Do we deserve to be happy, become comfortable, and recover when we’re so keenly aware of the damage we’ve left in our wake?
(photo by Peter Pokorny)
The play doesn’t atone Jo of her sins, either. It constantly reminds her and us of the trauma she caused to the people around her, while still offering her a deep well of sympathy. People’s trust in her has been broken, but at every step we the audience are encouraged to believe her, understand her frustrations, and admire her efforts. The nuance offered to her experience is exceptionally executed. Most stories about addicts either condemn or excuse their behaviour—but it’s always more complicated than that in reality.
Canadian acting legend Gabrielle Rose leads the play as Jo, and her work was nothing short of extraordinary. The acting did as much as the script to bring life and complexity to this moving tale. Making me laugh in the middle of crying, and making me cry mid-laugh, Rose was not only believable, but transcendental. Her desperation to solve the mystery of her daughter’s phone call, her bravery in the face of recovery, her venom spat in weak moments, and the tender romance blooming with her new, also-sober boyfriend demonstrate as broad a spectrum of human emotion as I can imagine on the stage.
The chemistry in the romance may have been aided by the fact that her love interest was played by her real-life husband of 30 years, Hrothgar Mathews.
Mathews offers a different story of recovery through his character, Rick, who has a longer history of sobriety. Early on it becomes clear he possesses a deep desire for patient, loving, authenticity, which deeply challenges Jo’s tendency to avoid being present and sincere at all costs. Combined with the strained relationships in Jo’s family life (the role of Everyone Else being played by the playwright on opening night, but is otherwise done by Sereana Malani) combines to a beautiful heart-wrenching piece which left me in awe.
The theatrical design is also to be celebrated. With massive tree rings making up the three walls of the rotating stage, and a small translucent greenhouse structure as the only set piece, everything was used to its fullest extent in both symbolism and choreography. Everything about the stage felt intentional, with the wheel often spinning for no discernible reason other than representing the chaotic movement that dominates Jo’s psyche.
But my love of the set design echoes my love of everything else: every aspect of the story, the space, the acting, the lighting—it was all used to the fullest possible extent it could be and everything was thoughtful to the nth degree. I’m not a crier, but this story cracked me—and most of the audience that I could see—wide open and the tears of catharsis flowed.
Brava to the entire production.
As Above
Various times and dates, until Sunday, March 3
Various prices, The Belfry Theatre
belfry.bc.ca