Steel Kiss

Ian C. Nelson is Assistant Director of Libraries, University of
Saskatchewan; and Director, Saskatoon Gateway Plays, Regina Summer
Stage, and La Troupe du Jour.

Steel Kiss is a short play—perhaps an hour in length—in no fewer
than 37 scenes. Before one leaps to a common conclusion—that the
author has been overimbued with television and film techniques—it
should be noted that the style of these scenes appears to be collage,
with the author’s suggestion that lighting be the glue holding things
together. The cover of the Blizzard Publishing script announces the
theme in scarlet: “Good boys become killers!” Four actors play all
the parts—males, females, parents, sons, girlfriends, teachers,
preachers, cops, and finally attackers and victim—in a dizzying
progression of scenes seemingly caught in a strobe light. That kind of
light epitomizes the raw, aggressive action and dialogue. The challenge
for four actors is enormous, but the technique is probably necessary to
provide relief or distancing from the extreme brutality that is
depicted.

If depicted brutality can cure society’s acquiescence toward real
brutality, then this play should be read and seen. But be prepared: it
will offend and disturb like no horror show you have ever seen. The
verbal assault is as brutal as the kicks and punches of the re-enacted
murder (the story is loosely based on the murder of a gay schoolteacher
in Toronto’s High Park in the summer of 1985). Critic Liam Lacey
headlined his review of the 1991 Toronto revival this way: “Steel Kiss
Confronts Audience with Reality of Homophobia.” Harvey Fierstein tucks
a similar message about gay-bashing into the plot of Torch Song Trilogy,
but his play seems much more mainstream and less like agitprop than
Fulford’s hard-hitting text.

The play is dedicated to the victims of violent crimes. Not
surprisingly, productions have been seen in a number of cities across
North America, where street violence and gay-bashing have become serious
issues. It should cause a controversy in a town near you. It will be a
harrowing evening, but it can only be hoped that the power of a live
production will have an effect like the prophylactic viewing of motor
accidents.

Fulford is also the author of Dark Song, an exploration of acquaintance
rape.