For Maddie Bomhof, a fourth-year Dramatic Arts student at Brock University, the creation of her show People in a Graveyard was not a straightforward path. The most recent iteration of the show came together following a slow five years of drafting and editing.
“The writing process for this piece began around the central image of a person sitting on a bench with bloody hands and another person coming along and sitting beside them [and not seeing] the blood,” said Bomhof in the show’s program. The show has grown-out substantially from that original image, but Bomhof hopes that the show will leave the audience with questions about perception, perspective, perseverance and what it all means in the end.
Set in Sunny Mount Cemetery, People in a Graveyard follows ghosts Boo (played by Frankie Turco) and Loo (played by Zakk Milne), as well as some other presently living folks, on a journey of self-discovery, pain, love, hate, passion and unexpectedly, disco.
Upon entrance, audience members are greeted by the ghosts themselves and treated to a pre-show act that highlights an uncomfortable relationship between characters Shae (played by Tyra Hayward) and Markus (played by Luke Huffman).
The set design was simple but effective, featuring only a bench and two graves (belonging to the corporal bodies of Boo and Loo). Had the set been any more extravagant, the small theatre would have felt crowded, taking away from the actors and the script.
Although hidden behind sheets with eye holes for most of the show, the characters of Boo and Loo still shine brightly, and not just because of their ghostly powers. As a result of their costumes, Turco and Milne had to rely on just body language and voice to convey the story they were trying to tell, something both actors did stupendously.
Turco, who played nervous and soft-spoken Boo, spent most of the show hunched over with his hands clasped against his sternum. This greatly contrasted Milne’s open and tall posture as Loo, setting up the power imbalance between the two that becomes central as the play goes on. Turco excelled at Boo’s whimpering and unsure tone while Milne filled the space with Loo’s aggressive New Yorker accent. The use of both actor’s lone voices impressively conveyed a great deal about both characters despite only seeing their actual faces at the end.
Throughout the show, Boo and Loo interact with Shae, a wounded young woman who has accidentally killed her abusive boyfriend Markus in self-defence. When the character of Shae was introduced in the pre-show act, actress Tyra Hayward got a little lost playing against her fellow actor Luke Huffman, whose take on the character of Markus was bold but slightly overpowering.
When Shae was introduced to Ernest (played by Benoit St. Aubin) though, the two actors’ chemistry instantly brought the characters to life. The quiet and meek Shae played well against Ernest, a kind old man with a wildly outlandish past. Both actors brought out the best in the other as their characters formed a friendly rapport throughout the show.
This bond made Shae’s death even more tragic. Hayward and St. Aubin’s connection truly made the scene special and allowed for a tender moment of reflection for the audience.
Boo and Loo go on to have a run-in with graverobbers Dax (played by Grace Labelle-Scott) and Jay (played by Michelle Shortt). Despite rarely leaving the stage, Labelle-Scott and Shortt’s performances often got overshadowed by the other things that took place. This is likely due to the size of the stage, which sometimes felt cramped with three stories taking place all at the same time.
The small stage did allow for the connection between the characters to shine, highlighting intimate touches and words shared between the two that ultimately would have been missed in any other theatre. Labelle-Scott and Shortt did the best with the material they were given but unfortunately, Dax and Jay’s story felt rushed in comparison to the other two pairs.
Although he spent the least amount of time on stage, it would be remiss not to mention the character of Daisy (played by Alex DeCicco). On top of his solo commentary, DeCicco’s interactions with other characters, namely Ernest, Dax and Jay, added a fair amount of comedy to the show. His comedic timing was impeccable, bringing a chuckle to some scenes that felt like they ran a little too long.
Overall, People in a Graveyard Among Others at 3:00 AM was a well-done student production. While certain story elements fell flat in certain places, the bulk of the show spoke to the comedic genius of both the show’s actors and its director.
Finally, it is important to note that all ticket sales from People in a Graveyard will be donated to Tru Faces, a non-profit organization that works towards raising disability awareness. Specifically, this money will help build their ambassador program whose goal is to build a group of like-minded disability advocates to help in the community.
In many ways, this is the stand-out element of this project. While theatre is very much about the entertainment of others, it is also about making a difference in the community it exists within. People in a Graveyard Among Others at 3:00 AM undoubtedly achieved this and more.
For more information about the drama department and active productions at Brock, follow @miwsfpa on Instagram or visit their faculty page at brocku.ca. For more information about Tru Faces, follow them @TruFaces.
