Zadie's Shoes

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

Adam Pettle’s first play, Therac 25, has been produced by numerous
theatres across the country and is being adapted for CBC radio.
Zadie’s Shoes tells the story of Benjamin, a compulsive gambler who
has lost the money for his girlfriend’s trip to an alternative cancer
clinic in Mexico. He has 72 hours to find the cash, and his options are
running out. A desperate Benjamin finds himself in a synagogue where he
meets a prophet named Eli who gives him rabbinical advice and a hot tip
on a race horse. The thrill of the race is the beginning of a touching
and hilarious journey. Pettle doesn’t put a foot wrong as he explores
such themes as the nature of luck and the power of faith, and challenges
his audience to move from laughter to tears in the blink of an eye. His
brilliant and daring play provides us with experiences that can only be
described as transcendental.