The Howland Company and Buddies in Bad Times Theatre are collaborating on the final show of Buddies’ season, take rimbaud. Courtney Ch’ng Lancaster is a part of the stellar cast of take rimbaud, and I got to ask her about the show, about her relationship with The Howland Company, and what audiences can expect from this exciting show!

1. Could you please introduce yourself to my readers and tell us a bit about your role with take rimbaud?

I’m Courtney Ch’ng Lancaster, actor, director, teacher person. I am performing in take rimbaud as one of four characters whose names are currently in flux. Initially, playwright Susanna Fournier labeled these characters “Torturers”, four forces who exist to inflict psychic/artistic/physical pain on the four named characters of R, Paul, Sylv and Sapph (versions/readings/reincarnations of Arthur Rimbaud, Paul Verlaine, Sylvia Plath and Sappho, respectively, who in this play are tortured artists living in Toronto from 2014 through to the present). 

But we have found that the name of “torturers” doesn’t seem to accurately describe our roles as the driving force behind the play, as we act to open the named characters’ eyes to the futility of art inside of capitalism and yet paradoxically do it through the creation of this piece of theatre. 

So, I don’t know who I am, really. We’ve been calling ourselves stagehands for a few days, I’m not sure if that will stick. I can tell you that we are in a hell of our own creation. I can’t tell you if that is my own or my character’s opinion. 

2. Can you please tell us a bit about how you got involved with The Howland Company?

I am one of the co-founders of the Howland Company. I’ve been with the company from the start, and was around when Howland first asked Susanna to write this play for us to perform 12+ years ago (it feels like longer somehow) when we were younger and angrier but also more idealistic. So the whole task of playing someone who is trying to make a play happen while debating the futility of art certainly has a meta flavour to it, seeing as that has been every company meeting we’ve held since our formation.

3. What’s it been like collaborating with Buddies on this production?

Wonderful. Buddies is the ideal place for this piece, and it all feels very meant-to-be.

4. What’s been your favourite part so far in preparing for take rimbaud?

I couldn’t ask for a better group of people to go down endless rabbit holes with. It’s an ideal team in that there are four Howland folks along with director ted witzel and Susanna who’ve been with this project from the beginning in one way or another, and then a group of wonderful talented fools who’ve agreed to let us inflict this hell upon them. It’s a genuinely lovely and thrilling room to be in.

5. What can audiences expect from this show?

A party. Despair. Gorgeous stage pictures. People getting wet. Poetry. Blood. People talking about apathy with surprising enthusiasm. Enormous hunger. In many ways I don’t know yet but god am I glad to be on the ride. 

I want to thank Courtney for taking the time to answer my questions. You can catch take rimbaud at Buddies in Bad Times Theatre from May 6 – 23. For more information and tickets, visit: https://buddiesinbadtimes.com/show/take-rimbaud/

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