‘The opening night premiere of ‘Craze’ made me crazed. I can’t figure out what I’m watching. It appears a list has been made, and all the boxes were ticked off. What am I supposed to glean?”

I can’t figure out what ‘Craze’ is all about.

What happened?

What I could gather from this opening night –

We are in Renee's (Ali Kazmi) and June's (Lisa Ryder) ultra-uber-chic living room. They have returned home from an evening out. It’s just after 1 a.m. Drinking has been involved in their evening out, and it appears that it will continue. The couple has just arrived home after driving through a brutal thunderstorm. There are moments when the couple are at each other’s throats, and then there are moments when the passion between them could easily have them end up in bed anytime soon.

What has become clear about Renee and June’s relationship? There’s no love here —none whatsoever at all. They tolerate each other.

Designer Christine Ting-Huan 挺歡 Urquhart’s gorgeous, modern, ultra-chic living room captures all the modern 21st-century stuff anyone would like in their home. Urquhart wisely also creates a sense of sterility in this living room. The whiteness and sterility permeate through the colour. There’s no life here, just like there is no life force of love between Renee and June.

There is also the disembodied voice of Buddy (Augusto Bitter), which sounds eerily like Alexa, which many people have in their homes. About ten minutes before the performance, Buddy begins talking to the audience and pointing out various people who enter and sit in the auditorium. During the performance, the characters also talk to Buddy similarly to how one would speak to Alexa.

During Renee and June's conversation, which covers various topics, it's revealed that another couple will join them. Selina (Louisa Zhu) works with June, and her husband, Richie (Kwaku Okyere), will also be there. Although their relationship seems to have some issues, Selina and Richie are mindful to put on a façade of happiness and behave appropriately, ensuring everything appears fine.

As the couples spend their early morning hours drinking and discussing, a series of events unfolds that turns their lives upside down, leading to what appears to be catastrophic consequences by the end of the 80-minute running time.

Sounds like Edward Albee’s ‘Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf’ (which will play at Canadian Stage in January 2025).

I was all set for that because I like Albee’s tale.

Yet, I started to get lost in ‘Craze’s convoluted plot right after the arrival of Alex (Bitter)—there are references to the LGBTQ, Artificial Intelligence, drones, the military, and polyamory. The boxes appear to be checked off that needed to be done.Telling who Alex is will give away some of the plot, so I’m trying to avoid doing that.

I look to the programme to see if I can understand further. Playwrights Rouvan Silogix and Rafeh Mahmud write that they merely ask questions that currently sit at the edge of philosophical and sociopolitical discourse. The playwrights hope that ‘Craze’ will allow audiences to reckon with their humanity and question what it means for us to be alive.

Ok, but where do I apply what Silogix and Mahmud told me to the convoluted plot elements listed above? I can’t make any connection.

And it’s frustrating because I wanted to do so.

I must give credit to Director Mike Payette. He manages to keep the plot moving, and several moments made me pay attention to the staging. It’s pretty fine to see all the pictures Payette creates by moving the characters around to see who’s in control and who has the power at any given moment.

Unfortunately, that isn’t enough to keep me interested. Payette has cast terrific actors, and I wanted to see where this story goes.

On this opening night, it didn’t go anywhere for me.

I hope there might be some audience talkbacks after certain performances to help future audiences understand the play.

Final Thoughts: I hope the play will be reviewed once again and decisions made to determine its true meaning. Personally, I believe it deals with AI. I’d like to see this distinction made clearer.

Running time: approximately 80 minutes with no interval/intermission.

‘Craze’ runs until December 15 at Tarragon Theatre in the Main Space, 30 Bridgman Avenue, Toronto. For tickets, visit tarragontheatre.com or call (416) 531-1827.

A TARRAGON THEATRE AND MODERN TIMES STAGE COMPANY CO-PRODUCTION in association with THEATRE ARTAUD
The World Premiere of ‘Craze’ by Rouvan Siligox and Rafeh Mahmud
Directed by Mike Payette
Assistant directed by 郝邦宇 Steven Hao
Set and Costume design by Christine Ting-Huan 挺歡 Urquhart
Lighting design by Arun Srinivasan
Sound design and composition by Maddie Bautista
Intimacy Direction by Corey Tazmania
Fight Direction by Anita Nittoly
Stage management by Lani Martel
Apprentice stage management by Jamie Anderson

Performers: Augusto Bitter, Ali Kazmi, Kwaku Okyere, Lisa Ryder and Lousia Zhu.