Cherry Docs

David E. Kemp, former drama professor at Queen’s University, is the
author of The Pleasures and Treasures of the United Kingdom.

The title of this play by actor and playwright David Gow refers to the
red steel-toed boots that skinhead Mike wore when he kicked the life out
of an East Indian man. Despite his protestations that he didn’t intend
for his victim to die, Mike is charged with murder. Danny, the Jewish
lawyer assigned by legal aid to defend him, is a social liberal who
believes strongly in Canada’s cultural mosaic. Not surprisingly, he
loathes both Mike and his crime on principal. But once Mike reveals his
Nazi sympathies, Danny’s hatred becomes more personal. In defending
his client, he tries to rise above his loathing. Ultimately, he forces
Mike to confront the significance of his actions.

Underlying Gow’s exploration of hatred in our society is his belief
that we must confront both the hatred within ourselves and the limits of
our own liberalism. The messages conveyed in this thought-provoking and
often chilling play stay with one long after the final curtain has
fallen.