When a man walks out onto the ledge of a building to commit suicide he finds himself entangled in the lives of total strangers for all the wrong reasons.
That’s the basis for Vancouver Island University’s upcoming production of Seven Stories.
“It’s a story about a guy who is on the ledge of the seventh story looking over the side of a building,” said director Leon Potter. “In the time that he is looking over the side of the building he becomes entwined in the lives of the people behind the windows that surround him.”
While on the ledge the man, who is actually referred to as ‘man’ in the play, discovers that the people in the windows around him are more interested in talking to him about their problems than his own.
“When a guy is standing on a ledge seven stories up in the air looking over the side, one immediately thinks that he is going to commit suicide. So you’re immediate response would be to coax him out. See if he is OK and call 911,” Potter said. “The interesting thing about it is all the people in the windows around him are so completely wrapped up in their own lives that they basically simply take the fact that he is out there totally for granted.”
Seven Stories was originally written by Alberta playwright Morris Panych and made its debut in 1989 at the Arts Club Theatre in Vancouver.
“He’s a great Canadian playwright,” “He’s a big name.”
Potter noted that while the play has serious elements, it is actually a very humourous production.
“It’s very, very funny,” he said. “Hopefully they’ll be laughing their heads off.”
Seven Stories runs from Nov. 6 until Nov. 15 at VIU’s Malaspina Theatre. Tickets are $10 for students and seniors, while adult tickets are $12. For more information, including a full list of show times, please visit bit.ly/7StoriesVIU or call the Malaspina box office at 250-740-6100.
arts@nanaimobulletin.comTwitter: @npescod
