Yukonstyle

Ryan Cunningham and Grace Lynn Kung in Yukonstyle. Photo by Bruce Zinger.

Following the September opening of The Flood Thereafter, a second play by Québécois playwright Sarah Berthiame opened at the Berkeley Street Theatre last week as part of Canadian Stage's 2013/14 season.

Set in the remote city of White Horse, Yukonstyle tells the story of three unlikely roommates as they grapple with past traumas, prejudices and the disturbing details of the Picton murder trial playing out on TV. Garin (Ryan Cunningham) is haunted by the mysterious disappearance of his mother, an aboriginal prostitute, who could have been one of Picton's victims. His alcoholic father, Pops (Francois Flanfer), is in denial about the incident, drinking himself sick over the memory of his beloved "Goldie," who manifests in the form of an imaginary raven throughout the play. Garin's close friend and roommate Yuko (Grace Lynn Kung) moved to the Yukon from Japan to escape her own family tragedy. Both Garin and Yuko work at the local hotel as dishwasher and chef. It's a tough life, but they make the most of it. Their problems come to a boiling point, however, when a 17-year-old pregnant hitchhiker, Kate (Kate Corbett), makes herself a permanent fixture on their couch. Vulnerable, naive, opinionated and often suicidal, her obnoxious presence brings out the worst in Garin, serving as a reminder of the dangers lurking in the cold winter night.

Gillan Gallow's frosty set bathes in the static glare of the television set (a lighting effect created by designer Bonnie Beecher) as the characters move between scenes to the iconic Canadian twang of Neil Young's "Heart of Gold." Director Ted Witzel get's fine performances out of the cast: Cunningham's powerful portrayal of the conflicted Garin is particularly compelling, while Lynn Kung carries much of the piece as the emotionally mature Yuko. The actors commit themselves fully to Berthiaume's funny, poetic and thought-provoking narrative, however the script occasionally wanders off in odd directions. Cumbersome staging also contributes to the meandering pace of the production. That being said, it manages to keep our attention.

Yukonstyle explores difficult themes, such as racism and misogyny, calling to attention Canada's shameful handling of the missing aboriginal women file, a lack of accountability that has been condemned by the UN, Human Rights Watch, and Amnesty International. It's refreshing to see that the future of Canadian theatre rests in the hands of contemporary writers as creative, honest and bold as Berthiaume.

Yukonstyle runs until October 27 at the Berkeley Street Theatre. Visit canadianstage.com for more information and to buy tickets.

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