Review: THE SUPINE COBBLER at Great Canadian Theatre Company

GCTC opened its 2023-2024 season this week with its production of Canadian playwright, Jill Connell’s The Supine Cobbler, directed by Emily Pearlman. The atmosphere on opening night was electric, with a buzz of excitement in the air.

The Supine Cobbler has a different vibe from other plays presented at GCTC. It is staged as a contemporary Western that initially seems to have all the hallmarks of a machismo shoot ‘em up story, but with an all-female cast. The setting for most of the play is a waiting room inside an abortion clinic. The unnamed protagonist (Maryse Fernandes), accompanied by her friend, Everett the Kid (Ellie Ellwand), has decided to have an abortion. We are not told of the events leading up to the decision, or why it is being made. And that is exactly the point: what right has anyone to question - let alone judge - such a deeply personal matter? The doctor (Deena Aziz) pointedly states that she doesn’t care why choice was made, so long as the decision was her own. As she waits, the protagonist, a cobbler by trade, revisits people from her past, her sister (Tara J. Paterson), a ballet dancer who died by suicide, and her best friend (Kelsey Rideout), who disappeared years ago and is presumed dead.

The play is not about the Cobbler’s abortion or the reasons for it. Rather, the show focuses on the relationships among the women and how life events shaped them, for better and for worse. Each character symbolizes very different traits: youth and naivete in the case of the Kid, the rashness and passion of the Best Friend, the ambition and fear of inadequacy of the Sister, the wisdom and nurturing of the Doctor, and the isolation and strength of the Cobbler. The performances of all five actors were outstanding, with each completely embodying their character.

As the audience enters the theatre, the stage feels like a barren desert. Minimal props are used, but those that are have a big impact (set, props, and video design by Julia Kim). This is further enhanced by a background screen which provides atmospheric effects used sparingly to complement the scene, without being overpowering.

The show is presented in such an entertaining way that it might be easy to miss some of the underlying messages. For example, the Cobbler’s sight was permanently damaged in an altercation with her sister when they were young, and she is unable to let go of her resentment. However, like a rotten tooth, once you finally pluck up the courage to have it pulled, the relief it brings makes you wonder why it took you so long to do it.

The Cobbler also has a recurring nightmare, where she wakes up and cries out, “Where am I?” in fear. Supine is the position we take when we lie on our backs facing upward; the supine position is a maternal position some women take during labour. The term supine can also imply weakness and passiveness. All these meanings have a place in The Supine Cobbler. The Cobbler is nameless because she is all of us, and the abortion that occurs in the play can be thought of as a symbol for cutting out the negative energy living inside that makes us weaker, insecure, and fearful. Even if we don’t know where we'll end up once we remove those impediments from our lives, doing so will give us the ability to better face new challenges - and might even allow us to ride off into the sunset like a badass cowgirl.

This is a play that will make you laugh in the moment but will also challenge you to reflect on its themes after it ends. The thoughts noted above are from my interpretation of the story, but you may have your own personal takeaways. I think that is what makes plays like The Supine Cobbler the best type of shows.

The Supine Cobbler, on stage through October 8th, is a wonderful start to GCTC’s new season. Click the link below for more information or to buy tickets.

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