“This is what happened”

Kenneth is 38, works in a book shop, lives alone, loves a good mai tai from Wally’s and hangs out there every happy hour with his best friend Bert. But when Kenneth’s world is turned upside down, everything he knows about life in Cranberry, New York comes into question. Eboni Booth’s Primary Trust is an ode to friendship, to the people who help us climb our way our of the dark pits of loneliness. Expertly directed by Cherissa Richards and starring Durae McFarlane, Primary Trust is an uplifting and heartwarming story about who gets us through when times are tough.

Dark clouds hang low over the sky of Julie Fox’s set design. Two worn-down buildings are accompanied by power lines and a working traffic light to give us our first glimpse into Kenneth’s life. There are several moving parts to the set which allow the audience into the locales Kenneth frequents, including Wally’s and the Primary Trust bank. Rachel Forbes’ costume design also helps to showcase the contrast between the vivacity of Wally’s and the rest of Kenneth’s life through various patterns and colour schemes.

Kenneth has been working at Yellowed Pages, a local bookstore, for twenty years. He was placed there by his social worker after he dropped out of school. Sam, the man who owns the bookstore is rather fond of Kenneth, despite his…quirks. But when Sam has to shut down Yellowed Pages, Kenneth doesn’t know what he’s going to do. He’s had the same schedule for years: work, meet up with Bert, and head to Wally’s for happy hour 2-for-1 mai tai’s. Corrina, a new waitress at Wally’s, encourages Kenneth to try to find a job at one of the local banks; Kenneth’s mother had also worked at one of the banks before her untimely passing. As Kenneth finds new coworkers, and maybe even new friends, what happens to old friends like Bert? A profound story about change and friendship, Primary Trust speaks to some of our deepest human emotions.

Booth’s text looks at companionship and belonging through a different lens for Primary Trust. Kenneth doesn’t seem very concerned with romantic relationships; he’s got Bert and he’s rather happy with that. Even when he meets Corrina, he’s just interested in getting to know her as a friend, though the two seem to have great chemistry together. However, there’s also the great loss of losing a friend which Kenneth experiences as well. It’s refreshing to see a story which talks about that pain and shows how deeply it can affect us; we get the stories about romantic break-ups frequently, but rarely about the grief of the loss of a friend. Having found a partner in my late twenties, my first heartbreaks came from losing friends; it’s a deep hurt which I felt right along with Kenneth during the play.

Durae McFarlane is stellar as Kenneth; he gives a marathon performance, never leaving the stage once the play begins. He gives his character a sweet awkwardness, which is perfectly endearing while allowing us to see the moments where Kenneth truly isn’t himself. Peter N. Bailey’s Bert is kind and comforting, truly an ideal companion for his anxious best friend. Bailey’s energy shines through this role and he’s a joy to watch. Khadijah Roberts-Abdullah is charming and funny as Corrina; she’s the kind of outgoing person a guy like Kenneth needs in his life! Ryan Hollyman’s Clay and Sam are both very different and yet have such a profound impact on Kenneth’s life. Clay is such a stereotypical “bro”, and I love the contrast between him and McFarlane. Hollyman and Roberts-Abdullah both play revolving doors of Wally’s waiters and bank customers throughout the play; it makes me laugh just thinking about the changes in costume, accent, and demeanour which were happening in a matter of seconds between characters. Danilo Reyes, like McFarlane, rarely leaves the stage as the musician. He witnesses all of Kenneth’s story along with the audience; this really got me thinking about what lounge musicians must witness on a daily basis, especially if they play at one location frequently.

“It is a privilege to love everything before Death can touch it.”

These are wise words from Corrina’s roommate which shot straight to my heart. Primary Trust is about that love: for our family, our job, our favourite watering hole, our friends, and ourselves. Kenneth learns to go about life with an open heart, and while you might get hurt, sometimes that hurt can also lead to great healing and new people in your life. I firmly believe that leading with love is what we need to move forward, and Primary Trust is a prime example of why. Call your friends, remind them how much you love them.

Primary Trust runs in the Guloien Theatre at Streetcar Crowsnest until June 21. For more information and tickets, visit: https://www.crowstheatre.com/shows-events/primary-trust

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Cover Photo: (L to R) Peter N. Bailey, Durae McFarlane, Ryan Hollyman, and Khadijah Roberts-Abdullah in PrimaryTrust. Photo by Dahlia Katz.

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