Kingston This Week - Wednesday, March 19, 2008

Director shines light on life in Judith Thompson’s “The Crackwalker”

Posted By L. H. Tiffany Hsieh

When Zorba Dravillas’s mother married a Kingstonian, he came to town from Michigan to help with the move six years ago. A stage actor since 11 years old, Dravillas was surprised at the number of theatre companies and community groups Kingston had to offer. It blew him away and he stayed.

Since then, the 26-year-old sandwich artist at Stuff’d Urban Eats has taken part in many local theatre productions and even made his directorial debut here with “Waiting For Godot.”

Starting Tuesday, March 25, Dravillas directs his second play, Judith Thompson’s “The Crackwalker,” at the Wellington Street Theatre.

Asked if he’s finally decided to cross the stage line from acting to directing, Dravillas offers a visceral answer.

“It’s not a clear and precise decision for me to go into directing,” he says. “It’s just that I’ve been wanting to see ‘Crackwalker’ so I guess I got sick of waiting and decided to put it on.”

Fair enough. Thompson’s “The Crackwalker,” her first play, stirred up a sensation following its 1980 premiere at Toronto’s Theatre Passe Muraille. Considered one of the bleakest and most unpleasant works in the Canadian repertory, like other Thompson plays, it explores the lives of the marginalized struggling to improve their situation.

“It surrounds four local down-and-outs and it’s almost a play about nothing. There’s no real resolution, it’s more a day in the life of and it sort of leaves you to decide for yourself,” Dravillas says.

“But that’s the beauty of the play and how the characters are written. That’s what really attracted me to the play since I read it years ago. The characters are so well written and they clash with each other so well.”

Starring Talia Acker (Theresa), Clayton Garrett (Joe), Jude Bursten (Sandy) and Peter Jenson (Alan), Dravillas says the set will be minimal, allowing the play to be about the characters and the decisions the actors make in their portrayals. He himself will play the small role of the homeless man.

“I have to stress that it has very strong content, very adult language. But the one thing I like about it is it’s not shock value. I honestly, full-heartedly believe it’s a bit more honest than anything else. I don’t think Judith Thompson set out to write the script to offend people at all, I think it was 100 per cent kind of shine the light on life,” Dravillas says.

“Although it’s not exactly a feel-good play, in a way I think it could be life affirming. It can be nostalgic for many. When people come, they’ll get the impression that they are looking in on someone else’s life.”

“The Crackwalker” is presented by Bottle Tree Productions at the Wellington Street Theatre, 126 Wellington St. Show time is 8 p.m. March 25-29 and April 1-5, and 2 p.m. on March 29 and April 5. Tickets are $20 adults, $18 seniors and $15 students. The play is not recommended for young audiences due to mature themes and language.