Youth theatre company, Ctrl-ART-Del is returning to one of its favourite playwrights as it gets set for a spring production of Punch Up.
The work of Kat Sandler, who wrote Mustard performed two seasons ago, has been chosen again.
Spokesperson Christine Carr said they selected this play for several reasons.
Punch Up features a cast of three. In the play, Duncan has always been a pretty boring guy, leading a simple life while working at a bread factory. He stumbles upon Brenda, a sad young woman who’s about to end her life. Convinced he’s fallen in love, Duncan strikes up a desperate deal: if he can get her to laugh, she’ll give life another shot, but if she doesn’t even giggle, he’ll help her go through with her plan.
There’s just one catch: Duncan isn’t funny. So, he borrows Pat, his second-favourite comedian, to help him come up with the perfect routine. But Pat is having a hard time mustering his sense of humour after a bad break-up.
Carr said Sandler’s plays are witty and entertaining, but reflect the real world and its many challenges. “It allows the cast to delve into deeper themes in very relatable ways, and that comes through to the audience. They will be entertained, will absolutely laugh, but hopefully will also be made to think,” she said.
Asked about a theme of suicide ideation, Carr said, “a scary part of today’s world is how real and prevalent these challenging themes already are in society. That reality is paralleled in many of the works we choose to produce. As with any of our plays, we focus on creating safe spaces where the cast can explore the themes and topics, knowing they have support.”
She said Punch Up examines how people can fight the darkness by finding love and laughter in their life. “It explores the importance of connection.”
The cast features some familiar faces: Chris Chumbley, Sophie Lee and Spencer Zumpano.
Chumbley plays Pat. Carr said, “Chris perfectly embodies Pat, the bitter yet hilarious cynical comedian. This role allows him to showcase his comedic timing and his capacity to embody the character, no matter how damaged they may be.”
Zumpano plays Duncan. “Spencer previously played this role during our youth scene study and connected well with the character. He pairs his love of comedy with his acting experience to bring an unintentionally hilarious and awkward character to life,” Carr said.
Lee plays Brenda. Carr said, “Sophie’s character has experienced true heartbreak and loss and Sophie brings these challenging emotions to life, countering Duncan’s comedic nature. She helps ground the production and has stepped up perfectly into a more serious role.”
Carr encourages folks to check the play out.
“This play is hilarious yet also heartwarming. It explores the importance of love and connection in what can be at times a challenging world. While the play tackles serious topics, it is one that has left us dying of laughter throughout the rehearsal process. We are very excited to see the audience react to the play’s humour and life.”
Recommended for ages 13+ due to the serious nature of the themes and language. The play is April 16-18, 7:30 p.m., at the Northern Lights Performing Arts Pavilion. Tickets are available on-line (tickets. ctrlartdel.ca) or at the door.
