When Peninsula Productions was set to stage its version of Death and the Maiden last fall, the show's run was postponed by a death in the family of Wendy Bollard, director of the political thriller.
With Bollard in Ireland for a funeral, the five November show dates at Semiahmoo Arts' studio, at Centennial Park in White Rock, had to be scrubbed.
Fortunately, Bollard was able to again secure the services of the three actors - Lori Tych, Guy Fauchon and Ben Odberg - for a delayed staging of the play, this time from March 5 to 8 at the larger, more comfortable Coast Capital Playhouse.
"We all went through a hard time together, and it's worked to make this group even more cohesive," Bollard said with enthusiasm.
"I was so delighted to get them together again for these dates," she continued. "They were all enjoying it so much - but I hesitate to use the word 'enjoying' with this play, because the subject matter is so brutal and intense. But in their actor way, they were all enjoying it, so they all wanted to do it, and they all made their schedules available so that could happen, and it's pretty awesome. That speaks to the show itself, I think."
Ariel Dorfman's Death and the Maiden tells the story of Paulina Salas (played by Lori Tych), a married woman who was raped and tortured by a doctor while being held as a political prisoner in Chile. Years later, she meets a man she suspects to be her abuser, Dr. Roberto Miranda (Guy Fauchon), but her husband Gerardo (Ben Odberg) is not convinced of the doctor's guilt, and acts as his lawyer.
"I come out of rehearsal walking on air, even though the subject matter is quite brutal and can be tough to watch," Bollard said. "I always bring chocolate to rehearsal, because everybody needs a little pick-me-up afterward, some sweetness. It's some pretty heavy subject matter, violence, and at every single rehearsal, these guys bring it."
Show tickets are $23 for adults and $18 for students/seniors, via 604-536-7535 and www.peninsulaproductions. org. The theatre is located at 1532 Johnston Rd., White Rock.
tzillich@thenownewspaper.com