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Mustard is a Darkly Comic, Infectiously Whimsical and Heartbreaking Gut Punch Tornado   

 

By Ezekiel McAdams

 

January 31 2025

Mustard Slate.jpg

  Twenty Fifth Street Theatre’s first production of the year, is Kat Sandler’s Mustard. Mustard is running from January 29th to February 8th 2025 at Persephone Theatre’s Backstage Stage.

 

  Mustard is a darkly comic play that focuses on Thai (Mara Teare), a sixteen year old girl whom still happens to have her imaginary friend, Mustard (Kayvon Koshkam) in her life. Thai has to balance her fraught relationship with her mother, Sadie (Anita Smith), and her college aged boyfriend, Jay (Braden Butler) and Mustard’s shenanigans. Mustard’s repeated attempts to stay relevant in her life causes such disastrous results, bringing two enforcers, Leslie (Danielle Spilchen) and Bug (Danny Knight) who try to take him away.

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  The production is directed by Saskatoon actor, designer, Tim Bratton, making his directorial debut in Saskatoon.

 

  Mustard is a triumph in creating a cavalcade of emotions effortlessly balancing the darkly comic tone which intertwines themes such as violence, trauma, drug and alcohol abuse and suicidal themes with sharp dialogue, strong characterization and comic timing. The play utilizes scatological humor as a foundation allowing the serious themes to ooze and creep within the cracks which ultimately provides a side splitting, yet heartwarming gut punch performance.

 

  Bratton’s direction is a strong and confident debut. Bratton allows both the cast and the script to be front and centre while creating a whimsical, grounded ambience throughout even when it strongly collides with the tougher subjects it tackles. The production evokes a magical realism that only hits harder due to the strength of the performers, Sandler’s script and Bratton’s direction.

 

  Teare plays sixteen year old Thai with the typical teen angst that never feels stereotypical or cliché but rather a nuanced portrayal by Teare that captures rage, frustration, betrayal and a lost weariness that is stunningly captured on stage by Teare.

 

  Koshkam’s performance is delightful ray of sunshine that shines bright throughout and anchors the entire production. Koshkam effortlessly switches energy that infuses childlike wonder and enthusiasm to petulance while discovering romantic ideations and outright fear. Koshkam’s turn is infectious as it simultaneously heartbreaking.

 

  Smith conveys such a manic energy that is powerful yet restrained while layering a range of emotions throughout. Smith channels Sadie’s frustration, confusion, hopelessness, addiction and love for her daughter and ex-husband like an emotional gauntlet. Smith is also the company’s artistic director.

 

  Spilchen’s presence as one of the enforcers, Leslie, is haunting, unnerving yet protective and sentimental to her partner, Bug and the laws of the world where order is maintained. Spilchen also is one of the co-fight directors.

 

  Knight as the other enforcer, Bug, provides comic relief while fostering a foreboding atmosphere whenever his character appears. Knight’s use of a stereotypical cockney accent while misunderstanding words and their definitions is juxtaposed by the looming force he creates which is both hilarious yet frightening.

 

  Finally, Butler as Thai’s college aged boyfriend Jay who fancies himself a writer and poet is both stubbornly infuriating and sadly funny. Butler showcases an apt for the mix of eagerness, need for approval and dense honor code that leaves his character with a heartfelt yet annoying cadence.

 

  Rory Jewiss as set designer creates a wonderful world on stage where the set for Thai and Sadie’s house evokes a familiar charm that allows the magic and fantastical to come alive while staying grounded.

 

  Jensine Emeline as costume designer strikes a perfect balance of normality with Sadie, Thai and Jay’s costume design that is familiar which is a stunning contrast to Mustard’s costume with vibrant blues and appropriate mustard colored hat. The choice of leather design for enforcers, Leslie and Bug weaves a darker tone that is very distinctive.

 

  Oli Guselle’s role as audio designer perfectly captures a whimsical yet sharp foreboding mood throughout especially when enforcers Bug and Leslie appear on stage.

 

  Luke von Eschen as lightning designer makes great use of the sudden lighting changes and cues that foretell a character’s appearance or shift in tone.

 

  Nicole Kidder as Props Designer allows the props to be memorable yet seamless in the production.

 

  Peace Akintade as Intimacy Coordinator provides both a positive and secure environment for the cast with the intimate scenes that sprinkled through the production.

 

  Spilchen and Ed Mendez are the co-fight directors and do an excellent job making the fight scenes natural and realistic that blends with the production.

 

  Katie Blackburn-Dust as stage manager who does a great job at helping the production and runtime be smooth and brisk.                     

 

  The rest of the creative team includes Cody Brayshaw as Set Construction Lead, Morgan Carter as Costumes Assistant, Kelson Cunningham and Britainy Zapshalla as Media Publicist.

 

  Mustard is a must see production constructing strong performances and direction anchored by an ambitious script. Mustard is a wonderful rainbow motif constructed with whimsy, humor, trauma and dysfunction switching from light and dark overtones that creates an unforgettable experience.

 

  25th St Theatre’s Mustard is playing at Persephone Theatre’s The Backstage Stage from January 29th to February 8th 2025 in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Tickets can be bought online here or at the box office.      

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