Have you ever had that eerie impulse to look beyond the veil? To see what awaits for us on the other side? Branden Jacobs-Jenkins’ The Comeuppance, directed by Frank Cox-O’Connell, allows audiences to do just that: to get a glimpse of what awaits five friends as they celebrate their 20^th High School Reunion. Hauntingly accurate in its depiction of today’s millennials, The Comeuppance’s story of friendship and what the passing of time does to us all, will stay with me for a very long time.

You never know what might happen when friends who haven’t seen each other in years finally get together again. In his case, Emilio hasn’t seen his best friends from high school since one of them got married 15 years ago. He’s the first to arrive to the pre-gaming party at Ursula’s house, so naturally they get to chatting as they wait for others to arrive. Yet there’s something more sinister in the air; a feeling like something’s lurking in the shadows lying in wait. But the friends don’t seem to feel it as Caitlin arrives, though it never truly leaves them. The real drama begins when Christina brings along her cousin Paco unexpectedly; Paco and Caitlin have a past, as do Christina and Emilio, but Emilio’s memories of how Caitlin and Paco’s relationship ended causes huge discord amongst the group. As tensions flare and the limo to take them to the reunion is about to arrive, how will these friends reconcile their memories and feelings about their pasts to be able to enjoy their night together?

Shannon Lea Doyle’s set is initially obscured by a thin veil – though we don’t know it at the time, it is truly surrounded by a death shroud. It’s only when the curtain is pulled back that we get the full effect of the set: Ursula’s front porch, complete with wicker furniture, an American flag, and dead vines which cover the outside. That’s also when our narrator reveals himself through the fog which flows from the front door: Death. Throughout the play, all five characters become possessed by Death and perform fourth-wall shattering monologues forwarding the story. But some creepy things start happening when Death comes around: the swing moves on its own, their voices seem to echo and whisper from different corners of the room, and we’re given knowledge about these characters that we sometimes wish we didn’t have. Jacobs-Jenkins masterfully melds the macabre and the malevolent with this twisted tale. Having this dark undertone to what should be a happy event, creates a consistent feeling of foreboding, even though we’re kept in suspense until the play’s final moments.

Mazin Elsadig’s Emilio feels like the brain-trust for his group of friends, and the earnestness with which Elsadig presents this character makes him feel all the more trustworthy. Ghazal Azarbad give Ursula a dark and quirky sense of humour, while also being the heart of the play. The empathy and kindness which radiates from her makes the ending the crushing blow it is. Nicole Powers delivers a powerful performance as Caitlin; in particular her speech as Death brought tears to my eyes. Bahia Watson shines as Christina, giving a moving and grounded performance, bringing to life the struggles of medical professionals during COVID. Araya Mengesha voices their friend Simon, who doesn’t make it to the party but ends up calling in and helping solve arguments, and their banter with the rest of the friend group is perfect. Carlos Gonzalez-Vio’s Paco is a very complex character, yet Gonzalez-Vio gives him a humanity and heart which makes you question the things you hear about him from the other characters. The dynamics between this group are ever-changing throughout the piece, and yet they navigate it all well together.

The Comeuppance takes place in 2022, therefore these folks graduated high school in 2002, making them a mere six years older than myself. It was different and difficult, and yet also beautiful, to watch my own generation portrayed on stage. Often when you see characters who are technically your age, the play itself is set in a different period, making them feel distant even if they’re relatable. The Comeuppance was the exact opposite for me; the characters were a little too relatable, and when it hit me that these would have been the “big kids” I looked up to in elementary school, it boggles the mind. Everything from the song choices for their pre-game dance party to the fact that they were pregaming, and even the rather morbid way in which they joked with one another points back to a very 90’s/00’s upbringing. The cultural touchstones they mention like Columbine, 9/11, they all ring true for me and my friends as well, even though here in Canada we were in less immediate danger. Our lives changed too, and in similar ways to the characters we witness in this play.

Though there’s still at least another three years until I’d be facing my own 20^th High School Reunion, I doubt it’ll happen. With social media keeping us all connected, my old High School building no longer in use, and most of my classmates still living in the small town we grew up in, any given Saturday at the main grocery store in town is like a full fledged reunion. It’s the dark side of The Comeuppance which truly gave me pause: the inevitability of life and the fact that despite best efforts, all of the silly things we did when we were younger are taking their toll on us now. However what The Comeuppance also proves is how it’s our friends, the ones who share those memories and core experiences with us, who will see us through to the other side of our various comeuppances.

The Comeuppance runs in the Michael Young Theatre until November 23. For more information and tickets, visit: https://www.soulpepper.ca/performances/thecommeupance

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Cover Photo: (L to R): Bahia Watson, Mazin Elsadig, Nicole Power, Ghazal Azarbad, Carlos Gonzalez-Vio in The Comeuppance by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, Directed by Frank Cox-O’Connell (2025). Set Design by Shannon Lea Doyle, Costume Design by Ming Wong, Lighting Design by Jason Hand, Sound Design by Olivia Wheeler. Photo by Dahlia Katz.

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