Ottawa’s Youth Infringement Festival (YIF) gives youth ages 16 to 25 a platform to write, direct, act, stage manage, and design under the guidance of professional mentors. The festival is run entirely by young people, from the ushers to the actors to the board of directors. Over its 27 years, YIF has produced over 150 original plays by young writers. The festival took place over two weeks, from March 27 to April 3, and featured six original plays.
Odds and Ends:
Do you ever think about death? That’s the question asked by the fresh new apprentice mortician Odd, played by Sadie Cann, in Odds and Ends. No, End replies, despite being actively involved in the preparation and conservation of a dead body. Written by Naomi Badour and directed by Maxim Ferron, Odds and Ends chronicles the work of two morticians who are abruptly and suddenly forced to work with actual, living people instead of the dead ones they’re used to.
Hilarity ensues as they struggle to connect with the more… lively members of society. The set of Odds and Ends is beautifully constructed: from a real gurney upon which the dearly departed lies, to two true-to-life gravestones complete with etchings, to a receptionist’s desk holding flowers, stacks of funeral programs, and a Square® card reader.
In their roles as dead Bodies, Jack Dillabough and Rebecca Johnson demonstrated amazing control over their movements and utilized their bodies in a robotic, mechanical way to give the illusion that they truly were dead bodies. They each took on a host of different roles — among them a grieving mother, father, husband, and wife, as well as multiple freshly resurrected corpses. No matter the role, Johnson and Dillabough committed fully to each part, and it was hard to believe all the roles were played by just the same two people.
Odds and Ends feat Gray Joslin. Photo provided.
Sell the Children:
In an alternate reality (that is honestly not so different from our current one), the world is dominated and run by one corporation, Lifeworks. In this universe, getting a loan comes with a new stipulation: in order to be approved, you’ll have to sign any offspring up to work for Lifeworks for the next 50 years. In Sell the Children, Eddie and Nancy, fresh out of money and ways to get more, seem to have no other choice. The costumes in Sell the Children were impeccably crafted, and perfect down to the tiniest detail. Nancy’s personality shines through her entire outfit, from the bow in her hair to her petite kitten heels. Her cardigan, long dress, shoes, bow, and necklace all work perfectly together to paint an amazing picture of this character before she’s even said a word. Eddie’s sweater vest, button-down, and well-tailored pants belie his desperation to sign the contract and get the job done.
Emily Thompson and Beth Hughes, playing Nancy and Eddie, both commanded the stage extraordinarily well. Their contrasting characters – Eddie desperate to sign the contract, Nancy desperate to leave – paired perfectly with each other, and they played off of each other’s quirks exceptionally.
I Have Something To Say feat Evelyne Laforest, Karelle Sikapi. Photo provided.
I Have Something to Say:
Everyone has something to say. In I Have Something to Say, the main character and her best friend have much to say about the things men have done and said to them, from the recent death of her dad, to the audacity of the men they have to deal with at work, to the adorableness yet stupidity of boyfriends, to the arrogance and attitude of ex-boyfriends. I Have Something to Say written by Sawyer and directed by Lawson Hannaford, is a heart-wrenching tragicomedy.
Daniel Braun, playing the Man, stepped in and out of each character fluidly. By just changing jackets or grabbing a prop, he successfully transforms from an obnoxious dude at a party, to an ecstatic groom, to a guitar-playing father, among a half-dozen
other roles. Braun showed incredible versatility and acting prowess. The set, although simple, was extremely effective. The two girls sit on camping chairs with a small table between them and a garden arch strung with Christmas lights behind them. The simplicity of the set allows the characters to build the world with their words and actions, and allows the props, scattered around the stage by Braun as he comes on and offstage, to stand out.
Ottawa’s Youth Infringement Festival (YIF) took place over two weeks, from March 27 to April 3, and featured six original plays at Arts Court Theatre.
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