This past Sunday at Cabaret Lion d’Or, a full house had the chance to experience Telegraph from Departure Bay / La création de la preuve, a unique staged reading that playfully sat somewhere between a self-help circle, an AA meeting, and maybe even a gathering of reformed crooks trying to turn over a new leaf.
The stories they share on stage are drawn entirely from real life. The script originates from deeply personal conversations that playwright and co-director Rae Vineberg held with these men 25 years ago.
Eight talented men took the stage and opened up their hearts with an honesty that was both touching and surprisingly funny. Under the thoughtful direction of Rae Vineberg and Alison Darcy, and with live musical accompaniment by Tim Kingsbury of Arcade Fire, the afternoon became a moving journey through regret and the search for a better path forward.
There were moments when I found myself wondering what exactly I was witnessing…
Was it therapy or theater? Confession or performance? Probably a bit of everything, which is exactly what made it so compelling. The stories were raw and real, and just when emotions ran deep, humor stepped in as the much-needed medicine for both the performers and the audience.
Not to be overlooked, the guitar riffs of Tim Kingsbury were a soothing transition between scenes.
By the end of the performance, I walked away with more questions than answers, and that felt perfect.
Telegraph from Departure Bay leaves the interpretation wide open and invites empathy in every direction. It is not every day that a play feels like a warm group hug you did not realize you needed, especially on a quiet Sunday afternoon.
There are whispered talks of taking the project further, possibly as a feature film or series. Either way, this story clearly still has so much more to say, and I am excited to see how it continues to evolve and reach even more hearts.