Magnus Theatre celebrated a triumphant return to the main stage Friday night with a solid one-act play.
Two Indians, written by Falen Johnson, tells the story of two cousins reuniting after spending many years apart due to a family tragedy that is revealed in the second half of the play in a moment that was as tense and sudden as the tragedy itself.
The story could feel a little too slow at the start if you don’t already relate to what the two main characters, Roe and Win, are going through, but once you pick up the context scattered throughout the story it's easy to get invested in what’s going to happen next.
The set of Two Indians was fairly simple but exceedingly effective for the story it was trying to tell. A single set piece dominated most of the stage, reducing usable space severely which would normally feel almost claustrophobic but only added to the feeling of closeness that both characters were trying to recover in their strained relationship.
The set also called for much more creativity with lighting, something the crew managed very well. Lights were used to show the passing traffic, the gradually setting sun and most importantly, a beautiful homage to the family the characters both held so closely in their hearts.
Cheyenne Scott played Roe, the cousin who left her First Nation to live in the city. Friday opening night was her Magnus debut but she is no stranger to the stage having performed in many plays across the country. She has been mainly drawn to complex, contemporary characters something that shows through well throughout her performance.
Danelle Charette played Win, who was visiting her cousin Roe. She is an Indigenous multidisciplinary artist currently based out of Toronto and is returning for the second time to Magnus after playing many different characters in another Falen Johnson play, Salt Baby. She definitely deserved the lead roll made obvious through her impeccable timing.
Both actors worked well together and had a great natural familiarity between them after only knowing each other for a short time, a testament to their skills and the direction of Natalie Robitaille who also directed Salt Baby.
Overall the play was a beautiful and heart wrenching story with excellently timed moments of comic relief and a beautiful ending.
8/10
