Something is clearly wrong with Hilary, but even her best friend isn’t sure what it is, or if it’s even real. Elias Campbell’s Speaking of Hilary delves deep into the world of two friends as they navigate post-school life, illness, and caring for one another. A slice-of-life two hander, Speaking of Hilary is an emotional roller coaster you won’t want to end.

Hilary and her best friend are close, and they talk about everything in their lives: work, relationships, family. When Hilary tells her friend that she’s nervous about getting Lyme Disease after having been bit by a tick on a walk, their lives begin to spiral together down a rabbit hole of anxiety and fear. While Hilary’s life unravels, her friend’s is taking off, yet they continually come back to each other for support.

Campbell’s script is very colloquial, which grounds the play in a sense of reality. This could just as easily be a conversation you overhear on the subway as it is a script, and it makes the characters relatable and easy to understand. At the same time, it tackles poignant issues like mental and physical health, the medical system’s dismissal of women and their health problems, and being a care-taker with grace and compassion. In doing so, the script also questions reality itself; these symptoms feel entirely real for Hilary, and yet finding proof is difficult, so what’s “real” then? These complexities drive the story, making it engaging from beginning to end.

The role of care-taker is a difficult one, and the way this text explored those nuances was done very well. Hilary’s friend is often left speechless or unsure of what to say to console her friend, and that helpless feeling gets more prevalent the longer Hilary’s illness continues. Again I felt like this helped ground the script in reality and provided a fascinating tension between the two friends.

Hannah Whitmore and Jensen Porter are the dynamic duo bringing Speaking of Hilary to life. Both roles involve diving into these difficult topics, and both actors bring a sense of care and empathy to their roles. Their chemistry together is off the charts; it’s easy to see that they’re friends outside of the world of the play. Porter plays the titular Hilary, and she has a magnetism to her performance which you cannot take your eyes off of. Her physicality changes dramatically throughout the play, and she emotes so clearly through those movements. Whitmore plays Hilary’s friend, and delivers an equally engaging, passionate performance. You can’t help but feel the love and compassion she has for Hilary, and it radiates from her throughout the play.

Speaking of Hilary’s heartrending story shows the beauty of friendship in the face of adversity; regardless of who needs the support, it’s always there. This moving piece of theatre is expertly performed and doesn’t leave a dry eye in the house. Running at the Red Sandcastle Theatre until June 9th, you won’t want to miss this show. For more information and tickets, visit: https://www.ticketscene.ca/series/1222/

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Cover photo: Hannah Whitmore and Jensen Porter. Photo by Andi Pavlovic

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