George Boivin is going on a journey. He and three pals are crossing the country by car, from Montreal to Vancouver, searching for George’s first love. The Ballad of George Boivin by Martin Bellemare and translated by Jack Paterson and with Johanna Nutter is produced by Lunchbox Theatre. The play explores chasing down a dream to avoid the tidal wave of grief and find meaning in the wreckage.
George is in the hands of Duval Lang, and anyone else with less talent would not be able to handle the solo performance. Lang also portrays the surly Gerard, who is the most articulate of George’s three companions. Clement is also squeezed in the car, mostly complaining all the way. And to round out the quartet is Jean Pierre whose hearing is mostly completely gone but is intrinsically linked to George. They are driving across the country to find Juliette, George’s first love, in the wake of the death of his wife, Germaine.
George has his friends, his heart as his compass, and an address belonging to Juliette 50 years ago. They don’t know if she’s alive, but George must find her. The audience isn’t quite sure why it is so pressing that in his 77th year, George needs to make the drive to Vancouver, but this is how the story unfolds.
Beth Kate’s set design and lighting design create the imagination that animates this solo production. There are suitcases that Lang uses to represent his companions in the car. A desk and a chair create the narrative that George takes us on. Branches adorned with budding flowers are hung on either side of the stage and are lit in white. The yellow dividing lines on the stage floor represent the divided highway George is going along. Anton de Groot’s sound design is the sound of the traffic and the horns when George is a terrible driver. His work rounds out the story even more. The costume design is by Ralamy Kneeshaw and ensures that Lang looks much older than he is, complete with gray hair. The element that makes the storytelling so nostalgic is the projector and old pictures. They render the story and really make it come alive.
Lunchbox Theatre’s production of The Ballad of George Boivin is only the second time it’s been produced in English. This story and production is an ode to live theatre and Lang allows you to laugh and cry with him and feel his loss so deeply. It is a lovely, incredibly moving story and a testament to masterful storytelling. Don’t miss this lovely little play.
Lunchbox Theatre’s The Ballad of George Boivin runs until May 5th. More information can be found online.
Photo Credit: Ben Laird