Raise Your Voice: ACT Presents The Price of Freedom at the Capitol Theatre

Cast of Price of Freedom

Photo credit: Back2ghost.gb

The Price of Freedom is a soul-affirming play written by Carlos Anthony, directed by Arts Collective Theatre, Chris Rabideau in collaboration with the Amherstburg Freedom Museum, celebrating its 50th anniversary. I had the pleasure of attending on the evening of "ACT Gives Back" at the Capitol Theatre.    

The story revolves around John Anderson (played by Carlos Anthony), a freedom seeker who is accused of killing a bounty hunter in self-defence. He is put on trial for a gruelling legal battle that challenges not only the complex legal system but the inherent systematic injustices that painfully exist and undoubtedly leave deep wounds. 

Highlights for me:

👉First and foremost, Carlos Anthony. You can tell that this portrayal of John Anderson is more than just reading words on a paper to memorize, it’s an opportunity to find his strength within and truly pour his heart out to the audience. This is very impactful throughout the play, especially as he is faced to relive and retell the traumatic moments in court. 

👉Fight scene – (Bill Dileva – Diggs/Carlos Anthony- John Anderson). The battle between Anderson and Diggs is intense and is a pivotal moment with the guidance of Fight Coach, Jackson R.R. Balint.  Diggs is played wonderfully by Bill Dileva, as he exudes a dominant portrayal on stage of a slave catcher with a cackling laugh that echoes the room to gives chills. 

👉The heartfelt moment between mother and son. Shelly Davis plays John’s mother and her uplifting words and unwavering love showed how one’s strength can push us onward despite hardships.

👉Court scene - the battle of logic vs the human condition. Samuel Freeman (Jordan Youseef) as defense lawyer and  Mr. Oswald Grant (Robin Swainson) as prosecutor, gave such strong performances presenting their cases.

👉Overseer’s Wife (Cristina Orlando) – an explosive performance that commanded the stage, portraying a rentlessly cruel woman confronting one of her slaves.

👉The music – composed by Ian Smith.  There is so much emotional depth felt from the music, particularly during the train station scene that that has a haunting historical presence, especially with the percussion work from Teajai Travis.                       

👉The statement of “you people” that is referenced in the play highlights the pitiful treatment and belief of unworthiness and undermining human dignity. It invokes feelings of anger and pain. So, whether you are familiar with John Anderson’s journey to freedom and his legal case which was a defining historical moment in Canada, this is a story you want to hear by all of these passionate performers.

It is one that makes you reflect on the past, the present climate we are in, and of course, what may hold for the future. 

Freedom is like oxygen. We all deserve to breathe.

💜 Arts Collective Theatre 

💜 Amherstburg Freedom Museum

💜 Capitol Theatre Windsor 

Voices Carry: She Said Movie Review

 

She Said, directed by Maria Schrader takes investigative journalism to another level, as New York Times journalists Megan Twohey (played by Carey Mulligan) and Jodi Kantor (played by Zoe Kazan) spearhead a story that would finally give women a voice to speak out about their experiences against one of most affluent Hollywood producers, Harvey Weinstein.

It is no surprise that powerful men often feel that they are in a position to have the upper hand and can use many forms of coercive control to get what they want.  The word “narcissist” is a word that is well-known in our vocabulary, but until we witness this behaviour, it only scratches the surface of what a person with this type of personality disorder can be capable of.  

The portrayal of Harvey in this film is chilling. It is a mirrored reflection of many men (in this particular case, but can be applied to any gender, of course) who believe they will never be caught because they are under a delusion that they are untouchable. We are reminded that as this case unfolds, the illusion of this idea is deeply flawed.  

The mix of emotions here is strong, as recollections of events are told and of course all the loop holes that impede justice. There is no linear path sometimes for conviction, which is frustrating and we can see the pursuit for the truth is painstakingly hard. We hold an uneasy feeling of wondering if justice will ever prevail. 

I thought this film was executed very well and Mulligan and Kazan’s performances exposed their character’s emotions in a raw way that didn’t take away from the story itself, but actually made it stronger. There is always risk to revealing dark secrets when evidence is not clear cut, but the phrase often used of “he said, she said” doesn’t apply here as all the pieces come together and we get to see more people come out of the shadows and one of the most prolific New York Time stories published that can never be unseen.

Some may feel that Weinstein was just another victim of his earlier life circumstances, plagued by mental illness and the incredible pressures of the Hollywood lifestyle. These and many other factors allowed for his behaviours to be overlooked and unnoticed. 

She Said is a liberating film to watch and as I reflected, I thought of a song that I loved to karaoke. It is called Voices Carry – by 'Til Tuesday with an empowering chorus “hush, hush, keep it down now, voices carry” which can be an anthem sung loudly for women (or any person for that matter) who has experienced the devastating and often long-standing wounds of abuse.  

💜Resources to reach out to:

Support links- Ontario

Canadian Mental Health

National organizations