A sparse, stark stage may greet theatregoers when they enter Powerhouse Theatre to witness The Diviners but by the end of the night the production proves to be fertile ground for plenty of food for thought.
The powerful but accessible play stays with you on the drive home as one begins to ponder the intricacies of a play that introduces the comings and goings of a Depression-era Indiana town with enough characters, both serious and comedic, to fulfill most people’s need for variety.
The wide-open set also allows transitions from scene to scene in a fast-paced manner that is reminiscent of a TV edit where the sound of the next scene begins to overlap the previous scene before it’s even over, tapping into modern attention spans I might add.
But the centrepiece is Buddy Layman, the brain-injured man/child who is blessed/cursed with the gift of divining, which means he has the power, with the use of a divining rod, to find precious water for the farming community, even to the utter dismay of at least one bemused resident.
In fact, Buddy is so in tune with aqua that he can successfully predict when it’s going to rain, another blessing for the community but a problem for him because he’s deathly afraid of the element that claimed his mother and left him, well, confused.
His family and community love his zest for nature and childlike innocence that also gives the gift of life, water, but they are woefully unprepared or unwilling to deal with the darker side of the tragedy that ultimately leads to even more heartache.
Well, that is until C.C. Showers (irony and imagery is rampant in this play, even the names), the reluctant former preacher, shows up from the outside world and makes a connection with Buddy that transforms both their lives, and all around them.
Gus Hansen is marvellous as Buddy, complete with flailing arms and manic episodes, contrasted capably with boyhood wonder and amazement in the lighter scenes that gives off an energy that is infectious.
And his foil is Erik Chirkoff in the role of Showers, who may be guilty of “thinking too much,” but is actually working out a crisis of confidence and faith through his relationship with Buddy. The two actors interact wonderfully and capably as the elder ministers and build a bond with the willing ‘Layman’ as the characters grow and develop to the wonderfully dramatic and inevitable conclusion.
The cast of characters that make up Zion, Indiana also strut their stuff ably on the stage, especially Caileigh Doroschuk as the smitten but responsible Jennie Mae Ferris, sister and protectorate of Buddy, and Felisha Anderson as the feisty, little-bit-naughty Darlene Henshaw as she struggles with the rules of small-town America.
There’s also a rant on industrialization and the future of modern society by Howard Joynt as Basil Bennett that is also not to be missed, so do pay attention.
The cast of characters also deliver the lighter moments well, too, and there are enough of them to give the sometimes dark play a nice balance and feel.
The music, highlighted by Amazing Grace and You Are My Sunshine, along with the lighting and big-sky backdrop also add to the ambience and religious imagery of the play.
Opening night may have had a few hiccups with a couple of dropped lines and at least one lighting miscue but all was forgiven as the night unfolded and the play developed pace and personality and this production deserves a much bigger audience than it had on Wednesday.
There’s much to chew on here, including the mysteries of life, death, heaven, religion, truth, ignorance and the consequences of living in denial, but it’s also an entertaining and rewarding night at the theatre that anyone with a stake in the human condition should be able to enjoy immensely.
The Diviners continues today at the Powerhouse Theatre with a matinée at 2 p.m. and Wednesday through Saturday at 7:30 p.m., with a matinée Saturday at 2 p.m. The play also opens the Okanagan Zone Drama Festival, hosted at Powerhouse, May 24 to 30. Tickets for all productions are at the Ticket Seller, 250-549-7469, www.ticketseller.ca.
