Repetitive Strain Injury

From left: Imali Perera, Pat Kiely, Amy Matysio, Robin Dunne, Ava Markus. Photo by Farrah Aviva.

Life is full of surprises, and so is Rob van Meenen's play Repetitive Strain Injury, the inaugural production from the newly formed Company Kid Logic, now playing for a limited run at Factory Studio Theatre. Directed by Harry Judge, the show explores the choices people make in relationships, written in a style that the playwright describes as "Neil Labute meets How I Met Your Mother."

The play centres around Dave (Pat Kiely) and Julie (Amy Matysio), a thirtysomething couple who are about to get married when fate introduces a number of challenges, including Pia (Imali Perera), an enlightened Pakistani telemarketer who befriends Julie and changes the course of their relationship. Meanwhile, Dave's misogynistic best friend Guy (Robin Dunne) picks up a meek young woman named Candace (Ava Markus) at a bar—a decision that results in unanticipated consequences. Fate brings all of the characters together, but in the end only free-will can determine where they go next.

Featuring a modern soundtrack, and set and costumes by Trevor Schmidt, Judge's production will no doubt appeal to young audiences with a penchant for semi-relatable, sitcom-esque storylines. Van Meenen's title, however, is disappointingly misleading, and what unfolds on stage is nothing like what you would expect from the play's synopsis. While the script includes a few witty observations on life and relationships, the characters are one-dimensional, and the plot veers in wildly implausible directions, culminating in a confusing narrative that is neither genuinely moving or deliberately funny.

The cast works hard to mine the emotion in the material, but unfortunately their committed performances are not enough to fix RSI—we'll give them an A for effort.

Repetitive Strain Injury runs until December 15 at Factory Studio Theatre. Visit rsitoronto.com for more information and to buy tickets.
 

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