by Lorraine Payette, written February 10, 2014
Welcome to the year 2097. In this pristine time, the most disgusting of annoyances are being brought under control, cleaning up not only our environment but our social contacts as well. Oh, my, did I say contacts? No, no, there’ll be none of that here.
Thanks to the wonder of technology and the gracious McCloud Industries, it is no longer necessary to participate in the filthy habit of human contact or “touch” in order for our species to reproduce. Matches can be made at the most perfect level, and all breeding is taken care of selectively in our labs through the use of our wonderful machines.
Courtesy of this, we have been able to usher in the No Contact Law, or NCL. Never again will people have to risk the danger of contamination brought about by human touch, never again will they need to suffer heartbreak and anxiety for “if one human being were to touch another in any kind of physically affectionate way, they are to be a) fined, or b) imprisoned. All touching is considered unnecessary, and unsanitary…”
Yet in the constrictions of such a colourless and heartless society, factions arise to defeat it. A group of touch enthusiasts known to decent society as “rats” has emerged, determined to restore love, affection and the comforts of touching to this emotionally frozen and hostile environment.
Rose McCloud (Hayley Miller) works for her father Garth (Corrigan Ferris-Baker) at McCloud Industries (MI). A sweet, vulnerable personality, she tries to understand and cure the rats of their socially unacceptable ways as she applies the latest in psychological treatments. Her brother Darious (Luke Young) works with the police to help enforce the NCL, and brings prisoners in for treatment at the camps established by MI. One day, he brings a notorious rat named Ginger Adams (Neda Amini) in for treatment, and Rose begins to see a side of life and culture and the NCL she had never dreamed existed…
“All Fall Down” is a dark Orwellian future fantasy created by young and upcoming local playwright Madeline Ferris-Baker Carnrite (MFBC). Played against a black background with minimal sets and props, it sees its story out over an hour and 45 minutes, leaving the audience with many things to consider.
“I was in church at a wedding when the idea came to me,” said MFBC. “I have a lot of different thoughts, and like to write about the ‘what ifs?’ that could happen in the future.”
This is MFBC’s third play, and has specifically been cast with actors under the age of 18. She felt it was important to show the world that young people can ponder important issues, and try to find ways to keep their future bright.
Other actors in the cast include Sage Drake (Bec Zander), Emmie Pritchard (Esther Craig), Alex Robertson (Brigson), Jillian Strathy (Lillian, Young Ginger and Computer), Haley Dufour (Wendy), Anneka Petersen (Jane), Bailey Flannagan (Tom) and MFBC herself in a small role as Riker Adams.
The play is being directed by MFBC, and produced by What’s My Line? Productions. It will run at the Firehall Theatre, Thousand Islands Playhouse, 185 South Street in Gananoque for three shows: evening performances at 7:00 p.m. on February 14 and 15, plus a matinee on he 15th at 2:00 p.m. Tickets sell for $15 apiece or two for $26 through PayPal before February 10, and are available on-line or at the door.
For more information, please go to http://www.whatsmylineproductions.com/#!gananoque—we-all-fall-down/c90k .
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