WRITING LOG

"The Anorak" published

Here goes:
"The Anorak" is now published and available for purchase on Amazon and Smashwords.

Anorak Cover 2 copy


In summer of the year 2000, as part of our Master in Fine Arts Acting program, we were required to write a solo show, and perform it upon our return in September. This was the beginning of what eventually became "The Anorak", my play about the Montreal Massacre and the life and death of Marc Lépine.
The play has gone through a good number of incarnations: starting as a work about my life, growing up in Pierrefonds, drawing parallels to the killer's upbringing; it then was what I call a "schizophrenic" show, changing back and forth from Lépine's life to mine; eventually the play took on its final major incarnation—as a biopic about Gamil Gharbi, who later became the man who perpetrated the worst solo spree massacre in Canadian history.
The Montreal Massacre resonated deeply with all who heard about it. That such a crime could be committed in our very own "belle ville" was—at the time— inconceivable. Whereas nowadays school shootings have become commonplace in the United States, Montreal has acquired the dreadful distinction of being the "school shooting capital of the world".
Clearly, there are a lot of issues at stake when it comes to these acts of violence; in my opinion, there is a lot to look at when it comes to how we raise our kids, the massive (often harmful) influence of our educational system, gun control, violence against women, changing gender values, and many others.
That's why it gives me a lot of pride to bring forth, at long last, this play of mine which addresses many of the problems inherent with growing up in this highly isolating modern world. I believe "The Anorak" is still very relevant with what's going on today, and that adults (and mature young adults) can benefit from the questions the play asks.
As many of you know, the events depicted in this play—in graphic detail— are very difficult to take in. But, in spite of the meritorious warnings, I think there is still much to be gleaned from reading this work. It has been, in my experience, profoundly debate-provocative, which is a fundamental means toward understanding one another.
It is my hope that many of you will wish to delve into this. Although "The Anorak" may be harsh to read, and even harsher to subject your imagination to, it will prove significant to you, and worth the effort.
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/339628

blog comments powered by Disqus