Lesbian Speed Date From Hell! is a comedy/horror play filled with a quick wit and quirky characters. Satirical with some edginess, it has just the right amount of grit and camp to get a good laugh. The social commentary driving this theatrical bus is about online dating cultures and stereotypes. It also takes a dig at “ghosting” or “cloaking”, which is an increasing phenomenon in social relationships. “Ghosting” is the term used when people remove themselves from relationships without notice and or explanation.
The actors in the play portray single lesbians, (except one straight male character) who attend a speed dating event. The play gives homage to Stephen King’s Misery, and as a parody, the story is about a woman who sets out to get revenge against another woman who had once “ghosted” her.
There are
twists and turns and yet beneath the slapstick, the undertones were hard to
miss, such as the potential dangers of online dating and the
effect negative experiences have on the human psyche.
The dialogue was
entertaining and intelligent, so there was little need for props, although, the
props were creative and well utilized.
The cost is
friendly for any budget and the duration of the play is just under an
hour.
The venue, Le Minist re, provided a perfect and intimate setting for the play, with bistro-style seating and a fully equipped bar.
Orcasound asked the show’s writer/producer Christina Saliba a few questions regarding her play and what inspired her:
Abbey – “What initially inspired you to write this
play?”
Christina – “My writing team of Lorna Kidjo and Adam
Kolodny and I are die-hard horror fans and when I came across Festival De La
B te Noire, Montreal’s first ever horror-themed theatre festival, looking for
submissions, this provided us an excellent platform to bring a niche genre of
theatre, horror-comedy, to Montreal audiences. Adam had an idea for a horror
film surrounding a speed dating event and with my own personal experiences
attending lesbian speed dating events in Montreal, it just clicked. This also
presented us with an opportunity to connect more with the queer community,
which we are apart of, and delve into themes of disconnection and isolation
that are so rampant in today’s digital cyberspace we all live in.”
Abbey- “What kind of future do you envision for queer
theatre in the digital age?”
Christina – “I think with brands like “Rupaul’s Drag
Race” and “Queer Eye”, queer content is certainly becoming more
popular and mainstream. Queer content is slowly but surely gaining momentum,
however female/trans/ non-binary / POC queer voices still do not have as large
and prominent platforms as their male counterparts. I think it’s important we
provide those spaces particularly for the highly marginalized groups under the
queer umbrella and at all costs support authentic queer representation on
stage. I think in time, the lines between queer theatre and traditional theatre
will be blurred as diversity will be so present and accepted that we won’t need
to refer to a show as queer.”
Abbey- “ What’s next? Do you have something on your
artistic back-burner?”
Christina –
“Yes but I’m a big fan of surprises and I don’t want to give too much away!
Let’s just say it’s not the end of “Lesbian Speed Date From Hell!”
