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“This country ate you and spat out your bones.”
With emotive actors, immersive visuals and incredible writing, Vishesh Abeyratne’s Blood Offering made its impressive world debut at Ottawa Fringe’s undercurrents festival which took place from Feb. 7 to 17.
Blood Offering opens as a Muslim teen named Farid grieves the loss of his friend, Kayla Gordon, who died in a mall shooting. Farid and Kayla’s high school teacher Mr. Naqvi notices tonal shifts in Farid: A different attitude, different clothes and, very notably, a gun in his bag. As the plot quickly unravels, Mr. Naqvi shares his own experiences of Islamophobia with Farid as a point of connection, disclosing his battles with being Pakistani and practising Islam.
Kayla’s parents, Lynn and Frederick Gordon manipulate Farid’s close connection with Kayla through racist rhetoric. They convince Farid to embark on an extremely sinister revenge plan for another mass shooting, with hopes of convincing the government to change gun laws. This leaves Mr. Naqvi caught between dealing with his grief and protecting Farid and himself from the Gordons’ Islamophobic plotting.
Blood Offering showcases the feelings and experiences all too familiar to Muslim people in a post-9/11 world. Abeyratne’s team used the medium of theatre to shine a light on misunderstood issues, thoughtfully mixing grief, anger and internal battles throughout the play.
Abeyratne’s use of emotive monologues paired with witty character banter created the perfect soil for this story to flourish. With the minimalistic set design, audiences were able to focus on the powerful story at hand.
While Mo Memon’s delivery of Farid’s lines occasionally felt rushed, his skills shone through in the physicality of his acting. His hand miming of the gun was so immersive it felt like a prop gun didn’t even need to be present. His heartwarming connection to Mr. Naqvi was a bright light throughout the piece.
Danish Gupta delivered a layered, emotional portrayal of Mr. Naqvi. Whether he was interacting with Farid, the Gordons or just sitting at his desk, he powerfully articulated his feelings through facial expressions. To portray a character with such a heavy past trying to navigate a current issue is not something just anyone can do, but Gupta accomplished this feat masterfully.
Jessie Bergeron’s portrayal of the polarizing Lynn was on point at all times. She showed versatility while transitioning from hilarious comedic banter with Frederick to jarringly racist comments about Farid and Mr. Naqvi, capped off by an incredibly depressing final monologue.
Geoff McBride’s duality as Frederick was amazing. His battles between wanting to avenge Kayla’s death and keeping his off-the-rail wife at bay were wonderfully depicted. Though not a main character, McBride shone during his time on stage with heart-shatteringly perfect physicality, grief and cries.
The chemistry between McBride’s passive Frederick and Bergeron’s demanding Lynn added depth to their sinister plan. The constant bickering turned lovingness was unstable, reflecting their uneasy headspaces after losing Kayla.
Costume designer Vanessa Imeson reflected identity and viewpoints through her thoughtful use of colour. The Gordons’ monochrome grey costumes, all the way down to their shoes, worked perfectly to portray the old, conservative, white supremacist views the couple held. They looked almost right out of a 1950s TV show, juxtaposing the colourful cultural wear Farid wore through the piece.
Between the immersive acting, minimalistic staging, tastefully constructed script and important subject matter, Blood Offering was an incredible piece of art. It shocked the audience with every twist while splicing in some laughs. In the age of increasing far-right extremism and Islamophobia, Abeyratne’s piece is a must-watch for everyone.
Featured image by Emma Ferrante/undercurrents.
