Abroad

Life Sentences

 (Factory Theater/Studio Cafe; 80 seats; C$20 ($15) top)

By MIRA FRIEDLANDER

A Factory Theater and Jewel Prods. presentation of a play in one act by Beth French. Directed by Rebecca Cann.
 
Cast: Layne Coleman (Frank), Gary Farmer (Stan), Janet-Laine Green (Mary), Robert Kennedy (Jimmy), Catherine McNally (Joanna).
 

Perhaps Beth French was aiming for David Mamet-speak in "Life Sentences," her debut play about Canada's penal system, but while there are stylistic similarities, the result is a play longing to break out of artificial constraints. The short, cinematic scenes and single line exchanges do not serve the emotional subtext but rather prevent most of the characters from ever coming to life.

French's play isn't a total wipeout. At the core of this five-character investigation into the psychological damage caused by endless incarceration damage to both inmate and guard is a wonderful character: Stan, an ex-con who two decades earlier was involved in a barroom brawl that resulted in a man's death. Stan's perverted sense of logic (he's not a murderer because he didn't mean to kill and won't do so again unless provoked) wars with a deeply romantic nature: He harbors an unrequited love for prison nurse Mary. French seems unable to decide whether she wants to write a penetrating, fact-filled denunciation of the penal system another character addresses the audience with relevant information or a wrenching love story showcasing the inhumanity of the system.

The playwright is helped in this production by the heartfelt performance of Gary Farmer, a Canadian actor who is making a name for himself in films. He is empathetic yet scary, but when he finally connects with Mary, his joy is genuinely touching, his emotional blossoming powerful.

It is the other characters, including Mary and her prison guard husband, who are denied their full humanity, driving the action forward but doing little else.

Director Rebecca Cann occasionally injects tension and emotion not fully realized in the script, keeping the action flowing. Andy Moro's spot lighting and clever use of platforms converts the tiny, awkward theater into an intimate and welcoming space.

But none of these first-class production values can cover up the weaknesses of a script that leaves you wanting so much more.

Set and lighting, Andy Moro; costumes, Jennifer Triemstra; sound, Darren Copeland; movement, Mark Christmann. Opened, reviewed Nov. 30, 1996. Running time: 1 HOUR.