Co-Director
Lark & Whimsy Theatre Collective/ Toronto Fringe
July 2018
Kat and James are waiting for their father to die. Not exactly estranged, but certainly not close, the two struggle to make conversation until James reveals a secret he’s kept from Kat since childhood – a secret that turns their family roles upside down, and forces them both to confront what exactly “family” means. Robert is a witty and graceful new comedy that delivers laughs and heart while taking on difficult questions of identity, grief and loss. With a set of bagpipes.
This was the first time I’ve ever co-directed, and it was such a wonderful experience (thanks to the incredible Briana Brown). This play is loaded with lots of heart, and I learned a lot about directing comedy through this experience. I also learned a lot about site-specific work, as we created the piece in a church space near Grange Park. I hadn’t worked on a Fringe show in a long time, so it was a real treat to work in that community again.
Photos by Stuart Paisley
Co-Directed by Briana Brown and Rob Kempson
Starring Chris Baker and Janelle Hanna
With Zohair Keswani, Mikaela La Rose, Sara Shifaw
Sound Design by Matt Maskaant
Dramaturgy by Erin Vandenberg
Stage Management by Kathleen Harrison
Assistant Directed by Jacob Kay