It’s not often that Calgary sees a world premier of a new play. Lost Agatha Christie scripts aside, we’re a city known as much for traveling productions of broadway musicals, as for new works of serious theatre.

So it’s welcome to find Theatre Junction premiering The Optimists, by Toronto-based Morwyn Brebner. The work focuses on the lives of four people in Las Vegas for a wedding. That’s a simplistic view, for there’s much more going on both inside and around the characters. In the end, it’s as much about the indomitable nature of the human spirit.

Perhaps no character embodies that more than Teeny. Performed by Adrienne Smook, Teeny may seem like one of life’s happy doormats. However, there’s a lot more to the character (and creating the character) than meets the eye.

Smook says the characters show a strength that’s evident in everyone.

"The point about the play - it’s about being optimistic no matter what life throws at you," she says. "If you can see these characters and what they’ve been through and how they decide to continue on and stay in a positive mindset, pretty much anyone can do the same.

"With the horrible things going on in the world, people manage to keep going. Which is what these characters do."

The Optimists sees Chick take Teeny to Las Vegas to get married. But Chick is a recovering addict on many fronts: gambling, alcohol and food. It would seem he’s putting himself in the worst place to try and start a new life. Along for the ride is his childhood friend, Doug, a seemingly successful doctor with a seemingly successful marriage - that is, until his wife shows up and problems emerge.

In the middle, sits Teeny. She’s a woman with her own record of injuries and misfortunes, but a pure spirit. It’s a balance that Smook says is hard to achieve as an actress.

"Teeny is one of the hardest characters I’ve ever had to play," says Smook.

"She’s absolutely without judgement, in that she’s been hurt by the world a lot. Men, in particular have hurt her deeply. Yet, she’s the most optimistic character in the play. She’s also found religion, which has helped her meet the world with an open heart and an open mind. Whereas the other characters are pretty judgemental.

"I guess in some way’s she’s Little Miss Sunshine. But she’s certainly no angel."

Smook says the interaction between the characters is also revealing, both to the performers and the audience.

"All the characters have really hurt each other, but they really think the very next thing they do will make it better. And quite often, the opposite is true."

Even physically, the play is demanding. At 90 minutes with no intermission, it’s a tough chore for the actors to keep their energy high and meet the demands of the script. But the fact The Optimists is a first-time show has some advantages.

"Stamina is the key. We really had to work on that; just being able to go there twice a day," says Smook. "The majority of time is spent with all four of us on stage.

"One of the things about doing a play that’s never been done before - there’s more permission to bring who you are into the character."

But the intricacies of the script don’t make the play inaccessible, she says, since it’s written and performed in a very conversational style.

So much so, those who’ve seen rehearsals have told Smook those conversations on stage, are almost word-for-word reflections of their own relationships.

That’s not faint praise, but reward for a play and performances that touch a nerve.

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Contributor Jamie Wilson |

Locale Calgary |

Topic Theatre Junction | Theatre |