Couples                                               The Hairdresser

This play was performed by the graduating-year students of the Theatre Department. After a month of work on physical/vocal/ensemble exercises, and on the 'Life Studies' characterization technique, the students went out on observation - first to the crime-ridden downtown city core, and secondly to retirement homes in the city.

The first hour of the in-house presentation consisted of various street scenes,to which were added several scenes from the script 'Allan Gardens'.

The second consisted of scenes and monologues from the seniors whom the actors had spent time with, and into these were interspersed scenes from 'Outrageous Fortune' a play set in a retirement home which I was in the process of writing.

The performance was excellent, and the audience of staff, students and invited guests were both entertained and moved. A lively discussion followed, chaired by the head of the department, rounding out a vital evening in the theatre. I had taught the 'Life Studies' technique , followed by either an in-house showing or full production, for a full term (at Ryerson University, University of Ottawa and University of Regina), but found that including a facilitated discussion between audience and players after the show added an invaluable richness to the whole experience.