Show and Tell Post #1

The play The Crackwalker was written by Judith Thompson. It was first produced in 1980 and premiered at the Toronto’s Theatre Passe Muraille. It has been produced several times over the years and is quite well liked. My source for this play is The Norton Anthology of Drama Volume Two. Thompson usually allows her women character’s to be victims, which is relevant in this play.

The Crackwalker is about 4 friends who live in Kingston, Ontario and who are poor and, for the most part dumb. Theresa and Sandy are friends who are dating Alan and Joe. Joe has been known to beat and mistreat Sandy as well as disappear for days on end with no word of his whereabouts. Theresa is mentally retarded and Alan is infatuated by her. He marries her and they have a kid. However, due to the stress of being a father who loses his minimum wage job, Alan loses his mind and becomes depressed. In a fit of rage Alan strangles his baby to death. He then becomes solemn and much like the walking dead and goes to Sandy and Joe’s house. Theresa runs in afterwards holding the dead baby in a sack and begins to confess Alan’s crimes. Alan calls her a liar and throws her to the ground. He leaves with Joe chasing after him. Throughout the story there is an Indian man who is a drunk that Alan meets on the street. He is vulgar and gives Alan much angst and also insight as to what will happen.

One dramaturgical choice I liked is that of having the characters address the audience directly. It helps us to see the inner thoughts of the characters as well as to give us the back story of what is happening. We are able to build a relationship with the characters and to know what they are thinking. These are dumb people that we are dealing with, and they do not always articulate. However, when talking to the audience, we are able to see more clearly their thoughts. They share secrets they would not tell the other characters. This is seen when Sandy tells us that the baby is better off dead because the parents are not fit to take care of a child. Also it shows us how Alan feels something tearing at his brain, and how he can’t find happiness in the world. These dumb characters are hard to sympathize with, and the Soliloquies directed towards the audience help us identify with them. Another dramaturgical choice I found interesting was that of including the Indian Man in the story. The Indian Man is simply a drunk on the street that Alan meets.  I believe he is the driving force in Alan’s mind that tears at his dreams. Thompson means for him to be the symbol of the insanity that Alan feels. He is drunk, and therefore irrational, much like Alan. When they first meet his wrists are bleeding, but he asks for no help, much like Alan with his derangement. Alan is, at heart, a kind soul. However he cannot let people know this, because he will be picked on and called a queer (a serious offence in his culture). Instead, he is quite and goes mad. The Indian Man makes it clear as to what Alan is fighting. If we did not have the Indian Man, it would be harder to show what he is actually struggling with. Also in the end, the Indian Man throws up on Alan. Alan loses it. He goes mad.  

This play was interesting and I enjoyed it thoroughly. It provided good insight on a much poorer way of living. Poorer mentally, physically, and emotionally.