By John Lazarus. Directed by Natasha Nadir. A Gateway Theatre production. At the Gateway Theatre on Friday, April 11. Continues until April 26

There’s just not enough to it.

In John Lazarus’s The Grandkid, 68-year-old widower Julius is a film studies prof nearing the end of his career. When his 19-year-old granddaughter, Abby, enrolls in her first year at Julius’s university, she comes to live in his house.

Then they talk about a whole bunch of things that are happening off-stage. Julius wants to save the Ontario town’s old cinema, the Loyalist, by turning it into a museum of Canadian film history. Abby is more sympathetic to the political groups—including Students for Palestinian Rights—who want to make the Loyalist an activist centre. Julius, who’s Jewish, is offended by Abby’s support of the Palestinian cause, but that debate never acquires any depth. And, beyond that, we have no reason whatsoever to care about the Loyalist.

Abby has a relationship with a young man—off-stage. Julius tells us about his two wives, but most of that is sketchy, too. Underdeveloped themes—including religion and existential meaning—abound.

One of the few things that carry any weight in the play is sex. I won’t give anything away other than to say there’s some interesting material about marital infidelity and how it affects intergenerational relationships.

The script includes some gently witty writing: Abby tells her grandfather that he should stand up and cheer when she’s playing hockey, “instead of applauding politely like somebody just made a cogent point about Rashomon or something”. And, because the play finally acquires some conflict and some stakes—as well as longer scenes—Act 2 is better than Act 1.

Richard Newman finds what charm there is in Julius: Newman is an excellent actor who could do this in his sleep. Playing Abby, Pippa Mackie felt a bit stilted off the top on opening night, but loosened up.

The Grandkid hits the occasional sweet spot: there are moments of tenderness and insight. They don’t add up to a satisfying evening, however.