A dark stage. A blinding white light. A man in a suit. What follows is eighty minutes of stream of consciousness perfection. One of two plays by Daniel MacIvor on stage now at Factory Theatre, Here Lies Henry is a riveting, witty, solo show about lying, love, and life. Beautifully directed by Tawiah M’Carthy and starring the charming Damien Atkins, Here Lies Henry is a perfect blend of the cheerful and the macabre.

Here Lies Henry starts with a fairly simple premise: Henry has been tasked with telling us something we don’t already know. In an attempt to entertain this audience, Henry tells stories about his life, his relationships, does a dance or two, and tries to tell a few jokes (initially unsuccessfully, but the dancing helps!). Starting off awkward but with a very moving ending, you really feel as if you’ve gone on an emotional journey with Henry. And yet MacIvor’s final line brilliantly makes us question the validity of everything we’ve just witnessed.

I think it’s brilliant how MacIvor has left the text open enough that it can be updated and tweaked for different audiences. At one point, Henry lists off every social media platform you can think of, including new ones which I know weren’t around when the play was published in the 90’s. It made Henry feel relatable and current; a man of our times. Not to mention it makes the jokes that much more funny or biting.

In the absence of a set, Andre Du Toit’s lighting becomes the design star of the show. The fact that Henry is not only totally aware of the lighting shifts, but then also comments if they don’t properly express the mood he wants to set is delightful, and adds a fitting meta theatrical element to the performance. I also enjoy how Henry initially thinks he is bound within the parameters of the lighting, and it isn’t until he becomes more bold and relaxed with the audience that he dares to attempt to defy the lit box in which he stands. The lighting is able to create a whole world without a single set piece; truly an impressive feat.

The charismatic and wildly talented Damien Atkins stars as Henry, and it feels like he was born for roles like this. I loved how awkward he was when he first appears; so unsure as to how to entertain us and what would work. Yet as he comes into himself we see a whole other human, oozing charm and wit. Henry also has these incredible ticks which Atkins performs masterfully; he never misses a beat. He is able to make us laugh, cry, dance, and sigh all in the short span of eighty minutes. This is such a genius solo show, and Atkins is perfectly cast for this part.

You won’t want to miss Here Lies Henry; and why not make it an event and catch its companion show Monster while you’re there! Here Lies Henry defied by expectations in so many ways, and still has me thinking about its message and mystery. For more information and tickets, visit: https://www.factorytheatre.ca/shows/here-lies-henry/

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Cover photo of Damien Atkins by Dahlia Katz.

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