Feral Child

Cynthia Ashperger and William Christopher Ellis in Feral Child. Photo by Mark Peckmezian.

Jordan Tannahill and his Toronto-based theatre company Suburban Beast aim to create “life-altering experiences.” Feral Child, a tense and ultimately disturbing 75-minute play now on stage at the Berkeley Theatre Rehearsal Hall, is definitely one of these unforgettable encounters, for many reasons that I can’t reveal here.

Seated barefoot around an off-white carpet, the audience teeters on the edge of a messy bedroom in Oshawa, where we bear witnesses to an elusive encounter between a precocious teenager (William Christopher Ellis) and the family housekeeper (Cynthia Ashperger), a university-educated Bosnian refugee with a dark past.

The odd pair engage in an awkward back and forth, building to a shocking climax that resonates long after the final scenes (which feel just a bit too hurried in comparison to the lead up). Tannahill gets solid performances out of both cast members though, especially Asperger who connects deeply with the material, delivering a heartbreaking performance as the long-suffering caretaker.

Feral Child runs until September 22 at the Canadian Stage Rehearsal Hall (26 Berkeley Street). Visit canadianstage.com for more information and to buy tickets.