The Stillborn Lover

Hugh Oliver is editor-in-chief at the OISE Press.

The two protagonists in this full-length play—the Canadian ambassador
to Russia and his wife, who is suffering from the first stages of
Alzheimer’s disease—have been returned from Moscow to a “safe
house” overlooking (at several levels) the Ottawa River. The reason
the ambassador was brought back, it transpires, has something to do with
the murder of a young male Russian in the embassy; the role (if any) of
the ambassador and/or his wife in this murder accounts for much of the
play’s suspense. Ultimately, the drama hinges on the homosexual
proclivities of the ambassador and his lifelong efforts to suppress his
feelings, hence the stillborn lover. With so much of his life hidden,
even from himself, how well can those around him be expected to know
him? In this subtle and profound play, which boasts well-rounded
characters and carefully crafted dialogue, what is left unsaid often has
more impact than the spoken word.