You CAN teach an old dog new tricks

By Penny Pitcher

“We are like islands in the sea, separate on the surface but connected in the deep.” ― William James

Victoria’s Target Theatre () will be presenting Firewall on Wednesday, December 10 at 8 PM at Langham Court Theatre, as its annual Fundraiser. 

Firewall, written and produced by Target Theatre Players and directed by Tony Cain, raises the question as to whether Technology is uniting us or “walling” us off. To go online, or not to go online – that is the question – and a myriad of voices get in on the action trying to persuade poor Luddite Maggie that to end her isolation, she simply MUST connect to the World Wide Web, a different web from the one that her mother had, in earlier times, maintained all on her own. 

Victoria’s Target Theatre Society, a tightly knit group of mature actors, has, for nearly 30 years, worked as a cohesive group, using theatre to voice issues that pertain to seniors – their needs, concerns, and place in the community.

They may be seniors, but Target Theatre has embraced technology, and Firewall reflects this, both in ideas presented, as well as sound design, projection, and effects. Researchers have identified ‘Social Isolation’ as a common theme among depressed seniors, but Firewall doesn’t leave out the teenager who feels her whole life has disappeared when she drops her phone into a storm drain.

Presently, Target Theatre has 15 Players, an Artistic Director, a Production Manager, and a Volunteer Board. As well as twice weekly meetings/rehearsals, Target performs a couple of times a month from September through June, usually in the Victoria area. However, thanks to a travel grant, Target was able to head up-Island last year, performing for audiences who would not normally have had the opportunity to see their plays. 

Target uses theatre to address seniors’ issues, because theatre has the ability to stimulate and move people more effectively than dry texts or lectures. For example, I’m Still Herewhich is performed twice a year for Hospice Victoria as part of its education programme, is based on real life research into Alzheimer’s disease, and Target has been told time and again by workers in the field that this really is a true portrayal of their reality. And who cannot sympathize with Dora in DotCon who, lonely and longing for romance, is ready to send airfare to the fellow who looks remarkably like the guy in a toothpaste ad! Another play, No Big Deal!, pertains to the issue of prostate cancer. A trio of comedies has audiences nodding in agreement as poor Arnie tries to deal with (an unidentified) City Hall, and the buck is passed from one faceless bureaucrat to another,r and then there are those grown-up children who squabble, all the while insisting through gritted teeth that Mother WILL ENJOY her day in the country.

The two main themes of Target plays are seniors’ quality of life and seniors’ health and safety. Topics include family relations, social isolation, staying safe at home and with social media, dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, seniors and dating, scams and elder abuse, and prostate cancer. These plays examine situations familiar to seniors, and a careful mix of drama and humour sheds light on many of the difficulties faced by seniors, their families, and caregivers.

Firewall, one night only, Wednesday, December 10, 8 PM at Langham Court Theatre, 805 Langham Court. Doors open at 7. Running time is 40 minutes with no intermission. Tickets are available through TicketRocket http://ticketrocket.org for$20 each. The always popular ‘Mystery Boxes’ will be sold in the lounge prior to the performance. 

“Only connect!” ― E.M. Forster, Howards End