Whale Riding Weather

Ian C. Nelson is assistant director of libraries at the University of
Saskatchewan and président, La Troupe du Jour, Regina Summer Stage.

This play has garnered phenomenal reaction in the theatres of Toronto
and Vancouver since its premiere in October 1991, particularly in the
gay communities. It has been called a “roller-coaster ride of pain and
humour,” and critics have generally agreed that its mixture of pathos
and love is what good theatre is all about. It is not just for a
specialized audience. Much of the play is an extended apostrophe by an
aging homosexual about the hard knocks of life. He has lived through a
marriage and a vicious divorce and longs for a supportive relationship
with an absent but oft-referred-to son. Meanwhile he arranges his
hermetic days with a hard-drinking, cigarette-rolling companion who,
this particular day, brings home a horny stranger. The main character
watches and awaits a resolution and possibly the freedom of a redefined
life. The emotional hunger of the characters is palpable. The writing is
sometimes delirious, sometimes direct, but always gripping. The graphic
language and action may limit exposure to the larger audience this
impressive piece deserves to attract.