Notice Board

Comedy Arises from Conflict in New Play by Local Playwright

A man ventures out on a cougar hunt. When he returns with his kill a conflict arises between the man, his wife, his sister, brother-in-law and 15-year-old niece. Why did he go on the hunt? Should he have killed this animal? What is our role in the natural world? And how are these arguments viewed through the eyes of a young woman in her formative years?

What sounds like a play wrought with heavy subject matter will leave audiences laughing. Of Least Concern, written and directed by University of Lethbridge drama professor Ron Chambers, takes the stage March 15-19 at 7:30 pm in the University Theatre.

“It is a comedy, I think,” laughs Chambers. “It is heavy subject matter, but there's a lot of conflict between these characters, and that conflict can be quite hilarious as each character argues about why you should or shouldn’t shoot a cougar. The name of the play Of Least Concern references the main argument – cougars are not an endangered species so are considered “of least concern,” so is it okay to shoot them for sport? What if the animal was endangered? How does that change the argument?”

The play, and the title, also highlight humanity's evolving relationship with the natural world.

“Our relationship with nature is becoming of less and less concern as time goes on. We’ve become disassociated from wilderness. What will that lead to in the future? The argument surrounding the cougar leads into discussion about who we are in relation to the natural world in which we have evolved.”

As writer and director, Chambers’ goal was to create a play specifically for university student actors. Of Least Concern was more than just a personal project for him, he set out to create an educational tool for his students as well.

“It can be hard to find plays suitable for this age group,” says Chambers. “This way students were able to participate in the entire play development process. This performance is also unique in that the play and audience are both on stage, creating an intimate setting. Actors acknowledge and even speak to the audience, and the audience's reaction will in-turn affect the actors, one exciting advantage theatre has over film.”

Chambers has written about 15 plays, with eight of them professionally produced. The opportunity to direct his own play creates an even more in-depth play development process.

“I’ve seen other directors misunderstand something, or miss something completely in a play I've written, so it is nice to have complete control,” says Chambers. “That’s not to say I know everything about the play just because I wrote it. I don't, and students are often surprised at this. Working on the play from the perspective of the director allows me as the playwright —with insights and contributions from the actors and designers— to make new discoveries about the play as the production process unfolds.”

This 90-minute, intimate, comedic, intellectual argument hits the stage March 15-19 at 7:30 pm in the University Theatre. For tickets call the Box Office, 403-329-2616 or visit ulethbridge.ca/tickets.