Padre X

Looking Glass Productions—Eckhardt-Gramatté Hall

This is theatre at its best. I saw this seven years ago which left me just enough time to want to treat myself again. This is for war and Canadian history buffs, serious theatre lovers and anyone with any taste. If you only see a handful of plays, make sure to include this. You are back in WWII, with a war-torn, Victoria Cross recipient, who happens to be the bravest of padres on his final journey home. Don’t you dare call him a hero. He is just a man. A man who thinks himself ordinary, but whom has performed the most extraordinary of deeds. He matter of factly relates tales of events that would crush the mettle of those of us who have enjoyed peace time. All the soldiers of WWII suffered catastrophic events, the harshest of situations, but none more so than the Canadian Forces that endured the massacre that was Dieppe. Only one in six survived. Our boys were sent to slaughter.

His performance is flawless and you cannot help but emotionally get swept up in his modest tale of the sacrifice made going back to help his abandoned comrades; and the resulting three years as a POW. He could have avoided these years by just staying on the retreating ship. The tortures they endured were unimaginable, but the spirit they managed to maintain, through sheer love of their brothers, is a lesson that needs to be retold. The small joys in irritating their German captors kept them sane. Forgive me for being sentimental, but I cannot regret the sacrifices these brave men and women made for us are being lost as they pass, and their story should be remembered. I don’t know how to express just how moving this is. Marc, you are my hero!

Lisa Campbell