Players Guild

1989 was a good year for Canadian plays.

That May, Morris Panych's absurdist drama, 7 STORIES premiered at Vancouver's Arts Club Theatre in a production directed by the playwright himself. The surreal black comedy quickly established Panych as an important voice in Canadian theatre and has subsequently enjoyed productions throughout Canada and internationally.

Born in Calgary in 1952 and raised in Edmonton, Panych studied creative writing at the University of British Columbia before training at London's East 15 Acting School. His distinctive combination of absurdist humour, philosophical observation and theatrical inventiveness has made him one of Canada's most celebrated playwrights and directors.

I first encountered 7 STORIES in February 1991 at Toronto's Tarragon Theatre, in a production featuring Nancy Beatty, Tonya Jacobs, Tom McCamus and Stephen Ouimette. CanStage subsequently revived the play for its twentieth anniversary in 2009 at the Bluma Appel Theatre.

Now, thirty-seven years after its premiere, the Players' Guild of Hamilton is presenting this remarkable Canadian comedy under the direction of Lucy McGhee.

The action takes place seven storeys above the street, on the narrow ledge of an apartment building. A solitary figure, identified simply as Man, stands contemplating suicide. However, his plans are continually interrupted by the eccentric inhabitants of the neighbouring apartments, each apparently more concerned with their own peculiar circumstances than with the stranger standing precariously outside their windows.

"Although 7 STORIES is an entertaining comedy, it also explores some very sobering themes that resonate with all of us," explains McGhee. "At the centre of the play is a character known simply as 'The Man,' who is experiencing an existential crisis. His contemplation of suicide raises some profound questions about why we continue living in a world that can sometimes seem meaningless."

The play is also a fascinating example of metatheatre, where theatrical conventions become part of the story itself. The apartment windows function almost like miniature stages, revealing characters who appear to be performing their own carefully constructed versions of reality.

Shakespeare's observation that "all the world's a stage" seems particularly appropriate. The ledge becomes a theatrical platform upon which Man believes he is performing his final scene, although the surrounding characters continually interrupt his intentions.

"Another fascinating aspect of the play is the way people become trapped within their own stories and their own subjective realities," McGhee continues. "There is a wonderful irony in the fact that we are all connected through our shared human struggles, yet we remain disconnected because we are so preoccupied with our own problems."

The Players' Guild production features an ensemble of five performers: Kevin Owen, Allison Tierney, Brendan Green, Stephanie Christiaens and Rory Wayne Robertson.

Working with McGhee, these actors face the considerable challenge of portraying multiple characters, each possessing distinctive personalities, anxieties and eccentricities. The production demands versatility, precise comic timing and an ability to move effortlessly between broad comedy and moments of genuine emotional vulnerability.

For McGhee, directing 7 STORIES represents the culmination of a longstanding relationship with the play.

"As a retired high school drama teacher, I have a long history with this particular work, and I have absolutely loved watching young, inexperienced actors discover these wonderful characters and bring them to life," she explains. "Now, having the opportunity to work with such a talented and seasoned cast is something of a dream come true for me."

She is particularly enthusiastic about the challenges presented by Panych's unusual theatrical landscape.

"Panych uses surrealism, particularly through the set design, to blur the boundaries between reality, imagination and theatrical performance. Despite its rather grim premise, I have always regarded 7 STORIES as a play about hope. Ultimately, it is about waking up to the possibilities of life and finding the courage to overcome the limitations we impose upon ourselves."

Panych's subsequent career has been equally remarkable. His more than thirty plays include VIGIL, LAWRENCE & HOLLOMAN, THE DISHWASHERS and GIRL IN THE GOLDFISH BOWL. He has twice received the Governor General's Literary Award for Drama, for THE ENDS OF THE EARTH and GIRL IN THE GOLDFISH BOWL, and has directed more than one hundred theatrical productions.

His work consistently explores loneliness, alienation and the absurdities of human behaviour, discovering unexpected humour in circumstances that might otherwise seem overwhelmingly tragic.

That combination of laughter and existential reflection remains central to the enduring appeal of 7 STORIES, a play that asks audiences to reconsider how they perceive themselves and the people around them.

"I am delighted that the Players' Guild has chosen to present this remarkable Canadian play," McGhee concludes. "It is a wonderful piece of theatre, one that will make audiences laugh, think and perhaps even look at their own lives a little differently. It really is a must-see production, and I don't think audiences will be disappointed."