Photo by Jae Yang
Theatre Passe Muraille & The Flin Flon Cowboy Collective, in association with Why Not Theatre / The Flin Flon Cowboy, created by Ken Harrower, Erin Brandenburg, Johnny Myrm Spence and The Flin Flon Cowboy Collective, directed by Erin Brandenburg, closes Nov. 2.
Theatre Passe Muraille must be the most woke company in the city, if not the country. Its mission is to mount plays that promote DEI, represent Toronto’s ethnic diaspora, and present marginalized artists including the disabled, the queer, the trans, and all the other initials. Their current absorbing production of The Flin Flon Cowboy covers a wide range of TPM’s mission statement.
The show is billed as an autobiographical musical detailing the life of the profoundly physically disabled, gay visual artist, singer and actor, Ken Harrower, whose is confined to a wheelchair due to a severe birth defect. Apparently, the germ of the show began in 2018 when a group of friends, having heard Ken’s stories about his life and its seemingly endless struggles, formed The Flin Flon Collective to bring his autobiography to the stage.
In a straight line, the play begins with Ken’s birth and abandonment in Flin Flon, Manitoba, and takes us to the present time and his Toronto sojourn. It’s a just-the-facts show, gilded by original and very tuneful country and western songs that occur at key moments. The great veteran actor, Greg Campbell, plays a multitude of characters, while dancer, theatre creator and pop art performer, STARLIGHT, functions as Harrower’s artist support and part of the ensemble when needed. Also on stage is a terrific four-member country band led by the show’s co-creator and composer, Johnny Myrm Spence. Band members also leave their instruments behind to become actors. It should also be mentioned that Campbell and his many roles are a standout. He gives an absolutely brilliant performance.
Photo by Jae Yang
Harrower’s story allows us to walk in his shoes, and it is not easy. We go through his various foster homes, his social workers, his desire for independence, and most of all, his desire for sex, and even love. There are his suicide attempts, his addiction, his mental health issues, his homelessness and life on the mean streets. But most of all, there is his coming to terms with who and what he is, and learning to love himself. The show is raw, courageous, and compelling, while never falling into total despair. Harrower, who is a very engaging performer, has the ability to laugh at himself, and there is a lightness of tone throughout.
And then there is the most honest, almost brutal, confession of all. Harrower has a foot fetish and that is where his sexual desires lie. He likes to massage other men’s feet, putting his partners to sleep (via the big toe rub), and then putting their feet against his cock (his word), and playing with their privates. This foot fetish, in fact, has landed Harrower in deep trouble, and in a very moving scene near the end of the play, he is forced to come to terms with the fact that this sexual act has been, at times, sexual assault
I have included this full description of the foot fetish in the review because it dominates the show. Yes, I might be giving something of the plot away, but it is more important to acknowledge that, in light of our more open society where we are addressing issues that have long remained hidden, that what might be regarded as humorous, as the fetish is in much of the play, has very serious consequences, and kudos to Harrower and the other creators for recognizing the dark side.
Photo by Jae Yang
Director and co-creator Erin Brandenburg has done a sensational job in fashioning both the look and movement of the production, aided by her very clever and imaginative creative team that includes Jung-Hye Kim’s set, costumes and props, Echo Zhou’s lighting, Laura Warren’s projections, and Monica Dottor’s choreography. In fact, I would go so far as to say that this show is a class act in every way.
On stage right is the bandstand, with its overhead circle of lights. The rest of the stage is backed by a picture of a barn, upon which is projected the text of the play. Harrower has a speech impediment so those captions are important, although they also include Campbell’s words and the lyrics of the songs as well. The barn is also the screen for the excellent videos and still photographs that illustrate Harrower’s life, such as shots of towns, places, people and situations. In other words, Harrower’s story has been given a grand context, and there is always something new to look at, either from the stage picture itself, or the projections.
When I said TPM is woke, I meant exactly that. The Flin Flon Cowboy is woke on steroids. Everything, and I do mean everything, that can make this show as accessible as possible, has been instituted, and includes a relaxed environment, captions for the hearing impaired, blind friendly performances and special touch tours, mask mandatory shows, peer support for audiences who are having trouble with the difficult content, and an accessible transportation fund. Whew! Nothing is hidden, and Harrower even points out that he is in ear pod contact with live line assistant, Mandy E. MacLean, who can feed him lines if he forgets.
In the final analysis, The Flin Flon Cowboy is an important play. A worthy person on the margins of society has been given a voice in a very impressive production, and it is both a delight and a privilege to go with Harrower on his journey of self-discovery.
Photo by Jae Yang