Review: PIVOT at Shelterbelt Theatre

Grief doesn’t provide a map for those left reeling in it. How do you accept a new reality? How do you move on? What do you do when the life you pictured for yourself is no longer an option? What do you do when the people you thought would always be around are no longer there?

Pivot, written by Alex Lubischer, is a beautifully real portrayal of the ways we handle grief and handle each other in those moments where nothing seems to makes sense anymore.

*SPOILERS INCLUDED*

Kara and Levi are ready for their forever. The wedding has been meticulously planned. The guests are arriving for the big day. Everything seems perfect and hopeful. But when disaster strikes and changes everything, Kara is left with the pieces of the future she and Levi had planned together. Levi’s dad and stepmom, George and Anne van Acren, are not particularly fond of Kara due to her headstrong nature and thoughts on their farming practices, but recent events will bring them together to communicate in a way that can hopefully be healing for all.

Director Daena Schweiger has assembled a brilliant cast. Her direction and care for the story is clear, as she lead her cast to a clear understanding of the characters and the stakes involved, while still leaving room for the audience to bring their own experiences and feelings to the production. The set by Bill Van Deest and sound design by Sally Grosenback fall in line with Schweiger’s direction and provide more of an outline of the scenery, allowing for the audience to focus on the performances in front of them. The props and costumes by Hannah Clark and Amie James fill in the blanks and help bring the audience to spend time with this family in Milton, Nebraska.

Sydney Readman masterfully portrays Kara, bringing to life the vibrant and hopeful woman who was ready to spend her forever with the love of her life. Her attempt to process her pain in a way that makes sense to her and feels right to her provides the movement for much of the story. Your heart breaks for her as you watch her come to terms with her new reality - one without Levi. This is one of Readman’s best performances to date.

Bill Hutson and Therese Rennels, who play George van Acren and Anne van Acren respectively, are the parents everybody knows. George, a man set in his ways and with no seemingly warm feelings towards Kara, mourns the loss of his son in his black-and-white picture of the world. He knows what needs to be done and what is right, and anything outside of that is inappropriate. Anne, typically quieter than George and seemingly the translator and communicator for him, is a steady and supportive voice and presence. Both artists turn out beautiful performances.

Josh Peyton, who plays Levi’s Best Friend Doug, and Nick LeMay, who plays Levi Van Acren among other characters, provide much needed levity in this very heartbreaking world. Peyton is no stranger to comedy, and the subtle nuances of his performance provide some of the highlights that you will find yourself chuckling about later, long after the show has ended. The chemistry he has with LeMay makes it abundantly clear that these two are friends, both on and off stage, which strengthens the interactions between them in Pivot. LeMay flexes his own comedic chops with hilarious bits as Father Matt and, my personal favorite, Ryan the Waiter. Considering the audible laughter coming from the audience, it’s clear they are both a hit.

Shelterbelt Theatre has become a home for local writers and new scripts, as well as for doing incredible work to make theatre accessible for everyone with their Pay What You Can program. Pivot is another hit in a long list of memorable theatre experiences offered there over the past year. There’s something truly magical about getting to experience something that feels so real and familiar, and yet has the ability to surprise you at the same time.

Pivot is not to be missed. Life doesn’t go as planned. Even in the best times, there are always challenges and roadblocks put in your way. But for those who are able to pick themselves up and pivot, there is the opportunity to live a really beautiful and unexpected life just down that new road.

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