By David F. Rooney
The Revelstoke Theatre Company’s new one-act play, Fuel, is a dark and mesmerizing adult drama that people who enjoy dramas loaded with meaning will certainly want to see.
Crafted by Calgary playwright Jerod Blake, Fuel is the story of addiction and a writer’s struggle to get sober. This is an adult theme and both The Narrator, played by Sarah Harper, and the protagonist, Jonathon King, played by Denny Kaulback deliver crisp and convincing performances. Kaulback is an angst-ridden Everyman tormented by his addiction, embodied in the form of The Narrator. For her part, Harper is damn near hypnotic as the embodiment of addiction and temptation. She is darkly seductive and quite impressive. She is also a deviation from the original casting.
As written by Blake, The Narrator was supposed to be a man, but the theatre company asked if they could cast a woman in that role, Director Lyn Kaulback said during the last dress rehearsal on Tuesday evening. I think that change in casting is brilliant.
The set is simple: a table, a low milk-carton bookcase, TV set, a couch and a couple of chairs, with a litter of empty cans and bottles. It works extremely well in the limited space at McGregor’s in Powder Springs.
If you enjoy good drama you won’t want to miss this production. Certainly, playwright Jerod Blake doesn’t want to miss it. Denny Kaulback said Blake is coming to Revelstoke from Calgary to see the Revelstoke Theatre Company’s performance of his play. He’ll be at the final performance on May 4.
Fuel is being performed in McGregor’s at Powder Springs on April 26,27 and 28 and on May 2, 3 and 4. Tickets are available at Powder Springs and online at the Revelstoke Theatre Company’s website.
It will also be performed at the Theatre BC Kootenay Zone Festival in Nakusp on May 11.
