A return engagement of a section of George F. Walker's popular and acclaimed six-play cycle, Suburban Motel, officially checks into the Factory Theatre Sept. 25 in Toronto.
Since Fall 1997, all six plays have been seen in repertory at the Factory under the direction of the playwright, whose edgy characters interact in a seedy motel. Think of it as Plaza Suite with hourly room rates and violent conclusions.
Problem Child, newly cast with Ted Dykstra and Richard Greenblatt (both of the Toronto musical hit Two Pianos, Four Hands), opens Sept. 25. Previews for The End of Civilization began Sept. 23 (opening Sept. 30), and previews for Criminal Genius begin Oct. 3 (with an Oct. 8 opening). The plays continue in repertory through Nov. 1, although Civilization closes Oct. 18.
Designing the show are Rebecca Picherack (lighting) and Shawn Kerwin (set and costumes).
Walker is one of Canada's most celebrated and prolific playwrights. Other works in the cycle include Adult Entertainment, Featuring Loretta and Risk Everything. Walker began premiering his work at the Factory in 1972. It's a great show of loyalty; Factory faced near bankruptcy last year and was rescued by its founding director Ken Gass, with whom Walker worked in his formative years as a playwright.
It was while driving cab that Walker saw a handbill from the theatre asking for new scripts and submitted Prince of Naples, thereby establishing himself as a writer of dark comedy and remarkable insight into the minutiae of human neurosis and evil. The trend continues in Suburban Motel.
Playwright Walker directs his own work at the Factory, a longtime canvas for Walker. Publicist Sally Szuster told Playbill On-Line (Sept. 25) that it was known last spring the popularity of the works (in a run that lasted through most of last season) would merit a return engagement this fall.
For tickets and information about Suburban Motel call Factory Theatre, 125 Bathurst St. in Toronto, (416) 504-9971.
* -- By Kenneth Jones
and
Mira Friedlander
Canada Correspondent
and David Lefkowitz
