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We are used to having royalty or politicians on our currency. We have Queen Elizabeth or a Prime Minister of Canada, but in 2018, Viola Desmond became the first black woman to be placed on the Canadian $10 bill. Her relevance in Canadian history seemed to be lesser-known, but her impact was substantial. In 2023, her story comes to life at The Grand Theatre in London, Ontario.
The inspirational, true story of Canadian Civil Rights hero Viola Desmond unfolds on the Grand Theatre’s Spriet Stage at the Ontario premiere of Controlled Damage – by London, Ontario playwright Andrea Scott. The acclaimed production, playing January 17th through January 29th, is directed by Ray Hogg and stars Beck Lloyd as Viola Desmond.
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Although the play begins with the 1917 Halifax explosion, the opening scene illustrates how Viola Davis (her maiden name), a precocious three-year-old, survived this tragic event. It also sets the stage for the importance of these two life-changing events, which took place in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
Controlled Damage tells the story of Black Halifax business owner Viola Desmond who, on November 8, 1946, went to a movie at the Roseland Theatre in New Glasgow, Nova Scotia. Unaware that she was sold a lower-priced ticket for the balcony, where Black patrons were expected to sit, Viola took a seat on the main floor: the whites-only section. Although she offered to pay the one-cent tax difference, Viola was dragged from the theatre, jailed, and charged. The event would impact Canadian history forever.
In an interview on the CBC podcast Play Me, playwright, Andrea Scott, relayed to the host that changemakers often suffer personal repercussions for their brave acts. There were few firsthand accounts of Viola Desmond’s life, but this did not dissuade Ms. Scott from creating a rich, layered story in Controlled Damage.
From the beginning, the audience participates as witnesses to her life. From having us watch the arrest (for the first time), we see images projected on three of the walls surrounding the dynamic cube that Desmond never leaves. I loved the set and the juxtaposition of a modern structure surrounded by both the audience and the players. It reinforces the voyeuristic relationship the audience has with the characters as the events unfold.
The other players moving in and out of the cube while Desmond remains trapped or maybe just restricted within the structure. The Grand’s Set Designer, Brian Dudkiewicz, did a great job bringing together Director Ray Hogg’s vision of Controlled Damage, from the simple movie theatre, to the flashbacks of Desmond’s life as a teacher and beauty salon owner all encased in that luminous cube.
The story gives us insights into how Ms. Desmond’s actions were viewed from within her community. Reckless and labeled a troublemaker by some, her actions were not supported by her husband when she decided to challenge the charges and arrest for tax evasion. Other’s hailed her as a hero for standing up to racist policies.
Beck Lloyd commands the stage from beginning to end. Never wavering or faulting, showing strength in the character and conviction to the story. We briefly discussed her role in Richard III at the Stratford Festival last year (in my son’s review, he noted her exemplary performance). Growing up in Toronto with an MFA from York University, she will finish at The Grand Theatre and make her way to A Wrinkle in Time and Grand Magic for the Stratford Festival in 2023. I look forward to seeing her perform again.
Other notable performances were Starr Domingue as Desmond’s close friend and confident; fiddler and singer Dominique LeBlanc and. Woman 4/Assistant Director Kaylee Hardwood. Her singing and acting stood out. I also enjoyed Stewart Adam McKensy as Jack – Viola’s husband – especially his singing of Freedom.
What may surprise you the most is the raw language and the audience’s audible gasps throughout the first half. This includes the reaction of inappropriate, blatantly racist comments to sexual harassment by the principal and the racial slurs that are no longer acceptable in today’s modern lexicon. Playwright Andrea Scott shocks us enough to remind us how odious these outdated stereotypes and slangs were once acceptable. The actions of one woman in November 1946 began the change Canadians needed to abandon unjust, racially motivated policies and actions.
Controlled Damage is very well done and I hope will continue to be staged in theatres throughout this country. You should go, I highly recommend it!
The Grand Theatre
Controlled Damage is on the Spriet Stage from January 17 to January 29, 2023. Tickets begin at $35 and are available at www.grandtheatre.com, by phone at 519-672-8800, or at the Box Office, 471 Richmond Street.
To learn more about Controlled Damage, please visit: grandtheatre.com/event/controlled-damage. Additional facts, photos, and updates can also be found by following @thegrandlondon and #ControlledDamage on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Other productions to read about…
- The Grand Theatre’s production of Elf: The Musical!
- Room at The Grand Theatre in London – You should go! #LdnOnt
- My Kingdom for a Horse… Outstanding Richard III at The Stratford Festival
- What’s on at The Stratford Festival in 2023
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