Can you remember the worst pain you’ve ever been in? I certainly can, I once had a kidney stone which kept me in the hospital for four days. It was not a good time. The ladies at the wellness retreat in Annie Baker’s Infinite Life also don’t seem like they’re having a good time, at least not on days two through four of their fast. Jackie Maxwell directs a star-studded cast in this unforgettable show about pain, healing, and how both of those things connect us all.

Six blue lounge chairs lined up against the pink stucco wall immediately signals to the audience that we’re somewhere warm and sunny. Joyce Padua’s set design uses the full length of the Coal Mine Theatre for the outdoor terrace upon which the play takes place. Steve Lucas’ lighting design is paramount for this production as it helps to indicate the passing of time, the durations of which vary greatly throughout the play. The ambiance of the set is one of relaxation and ease, the polar opposite of what the characters who inhabit that set are experiencing. 

Sofi (Christine Horne) has come to a wellness retreat to do a water fast which will supposedly help relieve the intense pain she’s feeling. While she’s there she meets four other women (Nancy Palk, Jean Yoon, Kyra Harper, and Brenda Bazinet), all there to hopefully cure what ails them. These women are frank with each other about their ailments…although sometimes Yvette (Harper) can be a little too open about things. Nelson’s (Ari Cohen) arrival at the retreat creates a whole new desire for Sofi, one even more intense than her desire for the bread from the bakery across the street. Though she might not be healed in the way she thought she would be, Sofi’s life will surely never be the same.

Baker’s text addresses some key issues about womanhood which you don’t often hear discussed amongst friends let alone on stage in a play. First of those things is pain and illness and the struggles women face when trying to seek medical help. Amongst Yvette’s delightfully funny oversharing, is a litany of medical troubles where she talks about how she’s had to relentlessly self-advocate and ask for certain treatments instead of it being offered to her. Sofi discusses how it’s difficult to describe her pain and have it taken seriously. These are common issues women face when seeking medical help, and to have them discussed in this way was refreshing and relieving. The other notion surrounding pain in Infinite Life is our odd desire to compare one’s pain to another’s, or to some other type of pain. When I was in the hospital, I had one nurse tell me “If you can handle this, childbirth will be a breeze!” While the nurse the next days said “You think this is bad? Wait until you have kids!” For some reason, childbirth has become a benchmark of pain thresholds, and that same sentiment is expressed by Nelson and Sofi in the play. Pain is such a unique experience, and yet we consistently attempt to either downplay our own symptoms or those of others by the usual “it could be worse” adage.

The other thing which almost took me aback in this play was the overt and at times quite descriptive discussions about sex. I think some of the shock was that I just wasn’t anticipating it, yet there’s also a part of me which thought it was awesome; it’s kind of punk to just talk about these things in the open, to release the shame we have around it and show what real people’s real sexual desires are like on stage. The fact that Sofi truly believes that sex could heal her, and Eileen (Palk) talks about her own sexual liberation in a similar way shows what an integral part of our being desire is, no matter who or what it’s for. I mean, I can think of a few more things I’d rather do with a tortilla chip, but to each their own!

Christine Horne takes the reins of Infinite Life as Sofi. She gives a nuanced performance, particularly regarding Sofi’s physical and emotional pain. Nancy Palk is charming as Eileen; her connection with Sofi, especially in the final moments of the play, is so endearing. Her physicality as well is top notch, creating some very funny awkward silences as she enters or exits the stage. Jean Yoon is hilarious as Ginnie; her comedic timing and the little quirks she’s given her character make her a total delight to watch. Kyra Harper also gets plenty of laughs in her role as Yvette, the oversharer. She and Yoon both have moments where we come into one of their lines partway through a story, and the two of them use those moments to their best advantage to have the audience rolling in the aisles. Brenda Bazinet’s Elaine is the heart of the group, happily colouring while the rest of the ladies talk. Bazinet gives so much heart and kindness to her role; the scene when she leaves the retreat felt so genuine and loving it almost made me cry. Finally, there’s Ari Cohen as Nelson, whose chill vibes are a perfect foil to Sofi’s tense nature. Cohen uses the silences given to his character to their utmost to create some of the most laugh-out-loud funny moments within the play.

In the final scene of the play, we get to the heart of where the title Infinite Life seems to stem from, and the heavy notions of spiritual versus corporeal desires. Yet amid that struggle, we see Eileen and Sofi comfort one another in the ways they know how best. I feel like that’s the essence of this play: pain is unavoidable, it’s how we choose to comfort one another which makes all the difference in life. This is a stunning opening to Coal Mine’s 10th anniversary season which you won’t want to miss. For more information and tickets, visit: https://www.coalminetheatre.com/infinite-life

---

Cover Photo: Brenda Bazinet, Kyra Harper, and Jean Yoon. Photo by Elana Emer

---

Thank you to my Patrons:

B. Kinnon, D. Moyes

And to my supporters who’ve bought me a coffee:

Angelica and Paul, Anonymous, Adrianna, and Caitlin

Would you like to become a Patron? Check out my Patreon at: https://www.patreon.com/AViewfromtheBox

Or, you can buy me a coffee at: buymeacoffee.com/aviewfromthebox