Terry Shawchuk was a bit of a mess. He was an goalie in the NHL whose life on and off the ice was a little complicated. He was one of the best goalies of his time and held the record for 103 shutouts until Martin Brodeur broke it in 2009. It’s why Julia Janicki wrote a play about Shawchuk meeting Brodeur, on a quiet lake where Shawcuk’s ghost is fishing.
Two Goalies Going Fishing in the Dark is a play that explores Shawchuk’s dark past and how he would react and tell his story if Martin Brodeur showed up. They talk about Shawchuk’s record and his violent ending of his life. There is much story to be had here.
The play needs a bit more development and finessing. The emotional demons that Shawchuk wrestles with are bigger than the play deals with, though the narrative does brush upon his shame a bit. The narrative needs to drill down to the point of the play, why would you throw these two together? What does the play really want to talk about?
Running 25 minutes, Two Goalies Going Fishing in the Dark has the seeds of a rich story, but needs a bit more work to get there.
Two Goalies Going Fishing in the Dark is part of the Calgary Fringe Festival. More information is available online.