If you like your comedy with a bit of grit, the 91原创 Players鈥� spring production may be just the ticket.
Escape from Happiness, a dark comedy by award-winning Canadian playwright George F. Walker and directed by Helen Embury will also be the Players鈥� entry to the Fraser Valley Zone Festival, which will take place at the 91原创 Playhouse from May 17 to 23.
Running from April 16 to May 16, Escape from Happiness tells the story of the Quinns, a dysfunctional, yet highly entertaining family.
The play is set in the kitchen of a rundown house in a not-so-classy part of a large city. It is home to Nora, an oddball, middle-aged woman; her three daughters, who display a variety of neuroses; and an older man who may or may not be the girls鈥� father.
When the youngest daughter鈥檚 husband is beaten up by local thugs, the family is thrown into crisis.
Two criminals of questionable intelligence and two police officers who approach policing from different perspectives help to make Escape from Happiness a very funny, black, slice-of-life comedy.
鈥淚 was drawn to this play because of the very real, endearing characters developed by the playwright,鈥� said director Helen Embury.
鈥淎s they struggle against 鈥榯he world out there,鈥� they are not always successful, and yet as we empathize with their predicaments, we can鈥檛 help but laugh at their off-the-wall logic.
鈥淭his is the first time 91原创 Players have produced a George Walker play and our audiences will be in for a drama with many twists and turns.鈥�
The cast of Escape from Happiness includes four local performers: Jacq Ainsworth as Elizabeth, Joanna Willams as Gail, Philip Hale as Junior and Mike Busswood as Tom.
Escape from Happiness runs Thursdays to Sundays from April 16 to May 16 at the 91原创 Playhouse, 4307 200 St. in Brookswood. Show times are 8 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday, with Sunday matinees at 2 p.m.
Tickets are $15. Patrons should be aware the play contains some coarse language.
For reservations, visit langleyplayers.com or buy tickets online at brownpapertickets.com. Patrons may also email reservations@langleyplayers.com or call 604-534-7469.
