I Lost My Husband subversively commodifies unseen man with uneven results

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      Written by Catherine Léger and translated by Leanna Brodie. Directed by Diane Brown. A Ruby Slippers Theatre production, in association with the Gateway Theatre. At the Gateway Theatre on Saturday, March 17. Continues until March 24

      Playwright Catherine Léger takes a sledgehammer to the gendered expectations of likability and offers up something much more nuanced and challenging in I Lost My Husband’s lead character, Evelyn (Meghan Gardiner), a 30-something, slightly narcissistic mess whose abrasive personality and competitive streak do little to mask her dissatisfaction with her life.

      The only time Evelyn’s truly happy is when she’s getting drunk and doing karaoke, caught up in her own performative profundity—“the poetry”, she says, of singing “Black Velvet” four times in a row in an empty bar.

      She argues with the young, beautiful, 20-year-old bartender and student, Melissa (Agnes Tong), and the two get into an escalating series of wagers about who knows the lyrics to the most songs. Eventually, Melissa says she doesn’t want Evelyn’s money—she wants her husband, a 50-something BMW–dealership owner who’s a big man around town.

      Evelyn doesn’t hesitate and takes the bet, loudly declaring it on camera while Melissa films her on her phone. The next morning, Evelyn wakes up hungover to find her husband has already moved into Melissa’s, leaving Evelyn behind with his 20-year-old son, William (Curtis Tweedie), who happens to be in love with Melissa, his former classmate.

      The premise is ridiculous, of course, but it also feels subversive. Commodifying a male character who is never seen, but whose presence takes up so much space, is fascinating. He rules Evelyn, Melissa, and William’s lives, even when he’s not there, and each of them has to work toward becoming the centre of their own universe, rather than orbiting him.

      Evelyn's love of karaoke doesn't completely mask her inner dissatisfaction.
      David Cooper

      There are some moments in the script that don’t land well, and that pose lingering questions afterward—like, why is Melissa, the only other female character in the play, constantly belittled and reduced for her good looks, interests, and sexuality? Additionally, Evelyn’s realization about her future doesn’t feel earned. Another five minutes of character development would have made the conclusion much more satisfactory.

      The small cast is impressive. Tong brings a necessary depth to Melissa, and Tweedie’s physical embodiment of William is perfect. Raugi Yu, who plays weed dealer Steve, deserves a special Jessie Award for the way he conveys stoned awe. It’s a brief moment, but Yu’s Steve is hilariously transfixed by the simple act of speaking.

      Gardiner deftly humanizes Evelyn without softening her. She does and says a lot of ill-advised things—like when she decides to commit arson, and stages it as a “hate crime” because of her “hard-core” feminism. But Evelyn’s also relatable: all she wants is to be important and be taken seriously. I Lost My Husband has some flaws, but its complexity is perfectly in keeping with its lead character.

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