Danny and the Deep Blue Sea

Danny and the Deep Blue Sea by John Patrick Shanley. Directed by Heidi Hawkins. Presented by Nani Tanifa Productions at Players' Theatre.

Danny and the Deep Blue Sea pulls together a number of themes that run through Shanley’s works – violence, sexual exploitation, a search for truth, the power of love – and combines them in a work that is both visceral and sensitive. Danny is a true original from an American literary master.

New York playwright John Patrick Shanley's work was last on stage in during Centaur’s 2009 production of Doubt. This April the Pullitzer Prize winner’s first published work will be presented on McGill's Players' stage. The play is described as a powerful, unflinching look at alienation and the exorcising power of love. The subtitle of this darkly beautiful piece is “An Apache Dance” – the name of a fast, violent and sexually charged street dance between a Parisian gangster and his girl.

The spare stage design transforms the space into a rundown bar in the Bronx. Two of society's rejects, Danny and Roberta, strike up a halting conversation over their beers. He is bruised and hostile; his out-of-control anger may have driven him to murder. She is a self-loathing single mother, unable to escape the memory of an ugly sexual incident involving her father. Wary at first, they unexpectedly, hesitantly, begin to open up to one another. In the end, there are no easy answers for Danny and Roberta, or for the audience. But their funny, frightening and ultimately fascinating interaction offers us insight and compassion for these deeply flawed, and truly human, characters.

Nani Tanifa’s new Montreal production of Danny and the Deep Blue Sea features all local talents, on and off the stage. Shawn Baichoo plays Danny, seething with barely-checked aggression. Roberta is brought to guilt-ridden, angry life by newcomer Christina Filippidis, who also produces. “When I first read the play, I was floored, I knew it was a story I wanted to share with people.” The rhythmic, emotional piece is directed by Heidi Hawkins and features lighting designed by Jody Burkholder. It's my pick of the week. GO C IT!

Players' Theatre, 3480 McTavish, 3rd floor, SSMU Building, McGill University (Peel metro). Performances : April 8, 9, 10 & 15, 16 at 8pm; Matinees: April 10, 11 & 17 at 2pm. Wheel chair accessible. General seating. Tickets: $15. Reg. Students & seniors $12. Reservations: ntprods@gmail.com