Controversial Harper Satire Makes Vancouver Premiere

PHOTO FROM FIREHALL ARTS CENTRE

“[4 out of 4 stars] It makes you proud of Canadian theatre… Dazzlingly witty, surgically precise and scathingly satirical.”  Toronto Star 

VANCOUVER, BC – The Firehall Arts Centre brings to Vancouver ‘one of Canada’s most controversial and comic plays in recent years’ (Vancouver Sun). PROUD is Michael Healey’s satire of Canada’s Prime Minister that has be making headlines since a Toronto theatre dumped the play out of fear of a libel suit. This original political comedy stars Andrew Wheeler as the PM and is directed by Donna Spencer, (runs April 5-26).

“This is a very witty, relevant and insightful play that provides a behind-the-scenes look at how government functions. It’s an intelligently written and researched piece that I believe will provoke a lot of thought and discussion amongst audiences”, says the Firehall’s Artistic Producer Spencer.

PROUD is a smart and sexy political satire that imagines a different outcome to the last Federal election – the Tories took Quebec and won a huge majority. A young, attractive and inexperienced female MP provides the Prime Minister with a new tool in his arsenal, but it soon becomes apparent that there is more to her than meets the eye. In amongst the political manoeuvring and backroom machinations emerges a surprising, complex and very funny portrait of the Prime Minister.

Jessie Award winning Vancouver actor Andrew Wheeler will tackle his biggest role yet, portraying a Prime Minister who bears a remarkable resemblance to the Right Honourable Stephen Harper. Craig Erickson will play Harper’s Machiavellian chief of staff and Emmelia Gordon (Dissolve, Progressive Polygamists) will play the novice MP who gets caught in their cross hairs.

PROUD was initially written for the Tarragon Theatre in Toronto as part of a trilogy of shows by then playwright-in-residence Healey, but was controversially dumped by the theatre over alleged concerns by a board member that the play would be deemed libellous. The show was later produced in Toronto by Healey himself and then in Ottawa, and a third production is currently on at the Belfry Theatre in Victoria. 

MORE INFO: firehallartscentre.ca | 604 689 0691