The boardroom of the Waterfront Toronto office along the shoreline of Lake Ontario certainly saw its fair share of action and drama when Google subsidiary Sidewalk Labs came to town in 2017. It’s the perfect setting for Michael Healey’s play The Master Plan, based on the Book “Sideways: The City Google Couldn’t Buy” written by local author and reporter Josh O’Kane. The Master Plan is a wickedly witty dramatization of the events outlined in the book, oozing with satire and Toronto flair. Directed by Crow’s Theatre’s Artistic Director Chris Abraham, this homegrown story is the perfect way to start the 40th anniversary season at Crow’s Theatre.
The Master Plan recounts the true story of Google’s attempt to build a smart city along the shore of Lake Ontario here in Toronto. The play opens with Waterfront’s decision to choose the bid from Sidewalk Labs and takes us through the harrowing three years which followed. From leaked documents to secret meetings, public outcry to resignations within the organizations, The Master Plan is drama from start to finish; truly stranger than fiction.
When you first enter the theatre space, you are thrust into the world of the corporate. Joshua Quinlan’s design features a bank of screens hanging from the ceiling over a huge table the same shape of the Quayside parcel of land owned by Waterfront Toronto, covered in building models and maps. The hexagonal floor tiles mirror those proposed by Sidewalk Labs for their smart city; every piece of this set has meaning. It was fabulous to be able to walk onto the set before the show and examine the table full of wooden building models, as so many members of the public did during the initial planning stages with Sidewalk and Waterfront. The cast even speaks one-on-one with audience members before the show, talking about the real life events they’re about to witness as well as the meaning behind Quinlan’s excellent designs.
The screens were used throughout the performance, and added several invaluable elements to the production. At times, the screens are used to provide a timeline of events, at others it’s used to show the logos of the real companies and media outlets involved in the story. Having these visuals available to back up the dialogue was helpful, even to those who might already know the story. However, they’re also used to show live video of the performance in moments where the events would have been shown on TV, or even just for video conferences. You get the feeling of being under surveillance, as the audience can easily be seen in these shots. The production really plays on the ideas of privacy and security which was one of the main sticking points between Waterfront and Sidewalk.
The Master Plan boasts an incredible cast who give outstanding performances. Mike Shara’s Dan Doctoroff was everything I came to expect from reading the book; his wild temper and ever-changing opinions were brought to life so perfectly. Shara’s charisma shines in the role, while also giving vibrancy and fun to the smaller roles he plays. Philippe Domville gives an incredible performance as Meg Davis; her breakdown in the second act is nothing short of awe-inspiring. You can feel that she truly gives her all in every moment of the performance. Ben Carlson’s Will Fleissig is fabulous, again easily living up to the ideas of Fleissig I read in O’Kane’s book. Carlson brings an elegance and austere nature to his characters which I adore, yet his Fire Chief was delightful and funny. Tara Nicodemo’s Kristina Verner is fierce! I love how fired up she would get throughout the play. Nicodemo was another perfect fit for her role. Peter Fernandes was a trusty narrator throughout the play, often shedding light or humour onto any given situation. His vivacity shines through his performance and I love to watch his work. Yanna McIntosh plays Helen Burstyn, one of the higher-ups at Waterfront Toronto. Like Nicodemo and Domville, her performance exudes strength, and with her real-life counterpart sitting just ahead of me, I think she did an amazing job bringing her to life. Christopher Allen rounds out this impressive cast as Cam Malagaam. Cam’s final speech of the play is so beautifully delivered by Allen; it encapsulates the hopes and dreams of both corporations perfectly. Allen matches the unbridled enthusiasm of his character with ease and is a joy to watch.
The Master Plan is a fabulous slice of Toronto’s history put into a smart, funny, satire I think everyone will enjoy. Whether you followed the story like a hawk or have never head of Sidewalk Labs before, The Master Plan is for everyone. The show has just been extended until October 8th, but you’ll still want to get your tickets ASAP! For more information and tickets, visit: https://www.crowstheatre.com/whats-on/view-all/themasterplan
Photo by Dahlia Katz
Thank you to my Patrons:
B. Kinnon, D. Moyes
Would you like to become a Patron? Check out my Patreon at: https://www.patreon.com/AViewfromtheBox?utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator
A View from the Box 