Name in Vain (Decalogue Two)

by André Alexis
directed by Richard Rose

World Premiere

A monk, in a fit of rage, breaks both his vow of silence and the Second Commandment. His curse throws his monastic brotherhood into an upheaval that tests the strength of their faith.

André Alexis plans to write a play for each of the Ten Commandments (the Decalogue), each exploring a different aspect of theatre. André is also a novelist and short-story writer. His debut novel Childhood won the Books in Canada First Novel Award and was a co-winner of the Trillium Award.

75 minutes with no intermission.

Events

  • Free Lecture Series — Sunday, October 30 at 1pm.

    We've added an additional Free Lecture on Sunday, October 30th at 1pm - prior to the performance of Name in Vain (Decalogue Two) at 2:30pm.
    Dr. Megan Macdonald completed her doctoral research in Drama at Queen Mary University of London, UK where she wrote her thesis on the performance of belief. She writes on contemporary theatre and is particularly interested in identifying the overlaps between performance and religion. Macdonald has worked with theatre companies in Canada, Germany and in the UK.
    In this lecture she will discuss the line between ritual and everyday behaviours. What happens when religious ritual is staged? How do our day-to-day rituals form us?

Play Guide

There is the sound of a door being opened, a great stuttered groan.

One by one, four monks enter a monastery garden after a long winter. It is very early morning. It is still cold. Each of the four reacquaints himself with the garden, inspecting his plot of land, and preparing for the long season of work ahead. As the morning bells toll, they bow their heads and share a brief moment of prayer. They have been praying for a moment when we hear the sound of running. Someone approaches.

Monk 4: Enters. He is late. He is carrying two pails filled with potatoes. He stops his running as soon as he enters the garden, trying to be quiet when he becomes aware that the others are praying.

His four brethren patiently wait for Monk 4 to settle. Most of them have known him for a long time, and are familiar with his simple child-like approach to life. While from a distance this can be charming, up close it can be downright annoying:

Monk 4: Before beginning his work, he goes in search of the wheelbarrow. The wheelbarrow is difficult to push straight, even when nearly empty and, besides, Monk 4 is clumsy.
Monk 5: Watches Monk 4 with the wheelbarrow, the way one might watch a simpleton who has a sharp stick: warily.
Monk 4: He dumps his potatoes into the wheelbarrow, then - to clear room for himself - pushes the wheelbarrow onto the patch of ground where Monk 5's tomatoes will go. He then begins to work with the pitchfork, digging up his ground.
Monk 5: Says nothing, but is annoyed at Monk 4's clumsiness. He goes to the place where the wheelbarrow sits, moves it from the tomato ground, pitchforks the ground which has been flattened.

What's more, the garden is more than a hobby. When the survival of the monastery depends upon the success of the garden, Monk's simplicity is more than annoying. It is potentially destructive.

As the monks struggle to satisfy both the demands of their garden and the demands of Monk 4, the stress becomes too much for Monk 5. He can no longer stand to watch Monk 4 threaten the survival of their close-knit community and takes a step he and his brethren have sworn never to take.

In the ExtraExtra Space

October 4–30
Opens Wednesday, October 19, 2011

October 2011
SunMonTueWedThuFriSat
           
1
2
3
4
8:00p
5
8:00p
6
8:00p
7
8:00p
8
8:00p
9
2:30p
10
11
8:00p
12
8:00p
13
8:00p
14
8:00p
15
8:00p
16
2:30p
17
18
8:00p
19
8:00p
20
8:00p
21
8:00p
22
2:30p 8:00p
23
2:30p
24
25
8:00p
26
8:00p
27
8:00p
28
8:00p
29
2:30p 8:00p
30
2:30p
31
          

supported by: Anonymous
Donor

Share this page

Cast and Crew