When’s the last time you had to shop for a cell phone? The plans are daunting, aren’t they? Forget about the cost of the phone itself. And according to Micheal Healey’s latest masterpiece Rogers v. Rogers, that’s exactly how those corporations want you to feel. Directed by Chris Abraham, Rogers v. Rogers retains the feel of 2023’s smash hit The Master Plan while telling its own unique and intriguing story. Starring the inimitable Tom Rooney, it comes as no surprise that Rogers v. Rogers is one of the hottest tickets in town.

Rogers v. Rogers finds its central conflict in the merger between the Rogers and Shaw telecom companies, however the juicy bits of the story are found in the people proposing this merge rather than the thing itself. Essentially Canada’s own “Haus of Gucci”, Rogers v. Rogers looks at the lives of the Rogers family after the death of media tycoon Ted Rogers, along with the life of Matthew Boswell, the bureaucrat attempting to halt this unprecedented takeover. Drawing distinct parallels between the lives of Rogers and Boswell, while also showing how differently the two handle those pivotal life moments, Rogers v. Rogers gets its dramatic tension from the interpersonal relationships we witness and how they play out in the world of big business.

Yet there’s an informative nature to Rogers v. Rogers as well, with crash courses in Canada’s Competition Bureau, but more importantly why that department is so necessary. I walked out of the theatre both feeling baffled and yet certainly more well-informed than when I walked in. Most of us understand that there’s really only 3 options when it comes to buying cell phones in Canada: Bell, Telus, or Rogers, and that those three own several of the smaller companies like Koodo or Fido. But to find out that companies like Canadian Tire or Dollarama own many of the brands they sell in store was shocking. I try to be a conscious consumer, it’s one of the few things we can do to still have power in our current capitalist landscape and Rogers v. Rogers backs that up with Boswell’s final speech, and yet the things I learned from this play will definitely be on my mind the next time I’m out at a store.

This impressive research and more are presented to us through Joshua Quinlan’s set and Nathan Bruce’s video designs. The boardroom set up not only had a rounded bank of screens facing the audience, but also utilized screens to create the table top as well. These are particularly impressive during my favourite scene: the Zoom board meeting at Rogers, where even the blotters on the desks were different for each character. The tech-heavy design expertly mirrors the subject matter while also providing helpful visuals for the more intricate nuances of the companies which are being discussed.

Tom Rooney gives a tour-de-force performance as all of the 20+ characters in Rogers v. Rogers. With a simple switching of props or donning of a jacket, Rooney transforms himself into the myriad players in this stranger-than-fiction story. I already had high expectations for Rooney, and he easily surpassed them with his charm, wit, and pure stamina. Rooney’s performance in Rogers v. Rogers is like witnessing an acting masterclass.

There are only a few tickets left for Rogers v. Rogers and it’s clear to see why. This a story which impacts all Canadians, and encourages us to be better consumers, yet it does so with Healey’s signature style. I truly hope to see several more productions of Rogers v. Rogers in years to come, its relevance, messaging, and overall brilliance make it a sure addition to the Canadian theatre canon.

Rogers v. Rogers runs at the Guloien Theatre at Streetcar Crowsnest until January 17. For more information and tickets, visit: https://www.crowstheatre.com/shows-events/rogers-v-rogers

---

Cover Photo: Tom Rooney. Photo by Dahlia Katz.

---

Thank you to my Patrons:

N. Bushnik, S. Fisher, B. Kinnon, D. Moyes, E. O’Brien

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

Angelica and Paul, Anonymous, Adrianna, Caitlin, Jonathan, Jada, and Courtney

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