Ordinary People tackles loss and grief in coming-of-age production
“Things get complicated when you keep it all in your brain,” says Conrad Jarrett, played by Quaid Lale, protagonist of Ordinary People, who knows all too well the hardships of living with mental illness.
Guelph Little Theatre’s (GLT) latest production, Ordinary People, follows 17-year-old Conrad as he struggles to cope with his brother’s sudden death. The play explores the complex reactions of his family as they fall apart and strive to rebuild their lives. Based on the novel and subsequent movie of the same name, this raw, riveting, and heart-wrenching drama does not shy away from difficult topics such as survivor’s guilt, post-traumatic stress disorder, and suicide.
“It is kind of a period piece,” shares Roberta Belfry, the play’s director, who has been involved with GLT for eight years. Written in 1978, Ordinary People clearly reflects attitudes of the past and makes us cognizant of how far we have come over the past 40 years in understanding and treating mental health.
With the show opening just a few days after Mental Illness Awareness Week, there is no better time to bring these sensitive topics to light. Given that mental illness will affect approximately half of the Canadian population by age 40, it is something that needs to be talked about openly to reduce stigmatization and isolation. Doing so in the theatre makes it all the more accessible.
The cast members, a diverse group of high school students and adults, understand the importance of their roles in normalizing mental health issues. They expertly switch off their light-hearted, pre-rehearsal selves and delve into this intensely poignant story. Doing so is no easy task, however.
“It’s such an emotional show,” shares cast member Piper Distel, who plays Conrad’s girlfriend Jeannine. “To convey [that emotion] when you’re just standing on a bare stage, not in front of anybody, is really difficult.”
Not only is it difficult on an individual level, putting together such a production requires much time, commitment, and collective effort. “A challenge is always to figure out the role, to try and get everyone to see the same vision,” says Belfry. “Both the challenge and the asset is that you have to work together to get to the same spot.”
The actors have been working towards this goal for the past two months, rehearsing four times a week. The production of the show itself, however, began long before this, around a year and a half ago.
Sitting in the audience and watching these cast members from all walks of life transform into their characters is nothing short of incredible. Their ability to portray each character’s battle so honestly reflects the universality of struggling with mental health. It is something to which everyone — from actors onstage to viewers in the audience — can relate.
Ordinary People played at Guelph Little Theatre from Oct. 11 to Oct. 22.
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Photos by Roslyn Roelofson
Article by Ariella Golden