Obsession: The Elizabeth Smart Musical

Goltsman-Ferris Productions—CCFM Pauline-Boutal Hall

This show is an historical piece on the life of Canadian author Elizabeth Smart. Told in a series of flashbacks as the elder Smart reminisces on her love affair with British poet George Barker. A tumultuous tale of a woman ahead of her time, falling in love and having several children with a married man whose work stole her heart. I was lucky to see an understudy show and they did an incredible job with very little rehearsal time! I found the pace of the show to be a bit disorienting and keeping track of where we were in time was tricky. Also saddened by another story of a woman being involved and giving so much to a man who couldn’t or wouldn’t reciprocate, to which I know far too many women can relate to. It left me pondering how and why we choose to remember the events of our lives the way we do.

Calantha Jensen