Pierre Brault, Damien Atkins (photo by Joanna Akyol)
A Story of History
by Jessica Chen
Beatrice and Virgil is an imagistic journey that shifts between the worlds of two Henry's. One, a young Author; the other, an old Taxidermist. In the Author's world, we are in a familiar reality; in the Taxidermist's world, we are led down a dark and winding path into the realm of his imagination. To best enjoy this piece, one should let oneself be led without too much resistance. Beatrice and Virgil is not an easy piece of theatre to watch. I mean that in the best way. In form and content, it is not a linear story. Not a lot 'happens', but that's not the point. The play begins like a sketch of something -- we see the simply drawn outlines of figures, without much meaning or substance; but as the play develops, rich colours seep in and the figures become more fleshed out; until finally we are witnessing living breathing creatures. Yann Martel's language shines in this adaptation; you don't need to read the book beforehand, but you might have the desire to read it afterwards. If you aren't in a rush and are willing to let yourself fall into these worlds, this play has the power to leave impressions on your heart and lingering vibrations in your body.
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