Spriet Stage
Room
Room
By Emma Donoghue, based on her novel
Music & Lyrics by Cora Bissett and Kathryn Joseph
Directed by Cora Bissett
A co-production with Covent Garden Productions and Mirvish Productions, Toronto, Canada
March 8 to 19, 2022
Opening Night March 11
Spriet Stage
Running Time: 140 minutes (plus intermission)
Age Recommendation: 12+
Advisories: This production depicts sexual violence, kidnapping, attempted suicide, newborn death, coarse language, and psychological trauma. Please also be advised that strobe lighting and haze effects will be used during this performance.
Title Sponsor
“If I save you from him, You will save me.”
The Story
Kidnapped as a teenage girl, Ma has been locked inside a purpose-built room in her captor’s garden for seven years. Her five-year-old son, Jack, has no concept of the world outside and happily exists inside Room with the help of Ma’s games and his vivid imagination where objects like Rug, Lamp, and TV are his only friends. But for Ma the time has come to escape and face their biggest challenge to date: the world outside Room.
AfterWORDS
On Wednesday evenings, immediately after the performance, come up to the Drewlo Lounge for a brief guided discussion with Grand staff members, guest artists, and creative team members. Enhance your theatre experience with this informal chance to dive deeper into the show’s content while mingling with patrons and artists.
Room events:
Wednesday, March 9 with playwright, Emma Donoghue
Wednesday, March 16 with Associate Director, Megan Watson
Pull up a chair and join us – the Drewlo Lounge Bar will be open!
The Background
Emma Donoghue’s bestselling 2010 novel Room has now been adapted as a new play, with songs by Scottish songwriters Kathryn Joseph and Cora Bissett. Previously adapted by Donoghue for the screen in 2015, the film won Academy Awards®, Golden Globes, and BAFTAs.
The world premiere of Room (May-July 2017) was co-produced by Theatre Royal Stratford East and Abbey Theatre Dublin. Following positive reception, it was then workshopped in London, Ontario in a first-time collaboration between the UK and Canadian creative teams as part of the COMPASS New Play Development Program. COMPASS, launched during Artistic Director Dennis Garnhum’s inaugural season with the Grand, is dedicated to creating and premiering new work on the Grand’s stages.
Room was scheduled to have its North American premiere at the Grand Theatre in March 2020 but was rescheduled to January 2022, and once again to March 2022, in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Following its Grand Theatre North American premiere, Room will then move to Mirvish’s Princess of Wales Theatre from April 5 to May 8.
Sight Lines Notice
Due to the intricacies of the rotating set in Room, and to ensure that all Grand audience members have optimal viewing, select seating options have been blocked and will not be available for booking for this production.
For Your Safety
In a steadfast commitment to the health and safety of its audience, artists, technicians, staff, and volunteers, the Grand has implemented the following measures:
- Flexible Seating: Patrons seeking further physical distancing when seated in one of the Grand’s Theatre spaces are given the option to switch seats in our flexible seating program. Grand ushers will be equipped with up-to-date seating charts at all performances and are happy to escort patrons to new, unoccupied seats.
- Full Vaccination: Until further notice, all those entering the Grand Theatre* are required to provide proof of being fully vaccinated against the COVID-19 virus, with the final dose having been received at least 14 days prior to entry. For more information on this, visit our COVID Protocols page.
- Face Masks: All those inside of the Grand’s building are required to wear a mask that fully covers the nose, mouth, and chin at all times, except with consuming refreshments in the lobby spaces.
- Sanitation: Hand sanitization stations can be accessed on all floors of the Theatre. In addition, the Theatre will be maintaining stringent cleaning protocols before and after all performances.
Prior to attending a performance, the Grand asks all patrons who are showing symptoms of COVID-19 to call the Theatre Box Office to exchange their ticket(s) to a future performance. We thank you for your continued cooperation and support.
* Unless holding medical exemption
From the Stage Door
Resources
- Anova’s 24/7 Crisis Line | 519-642-3000 or 1-800-265-1576
- Anova | anovafuture.org
- Atlohsa Family Healing Services | atlohsa.com
- Family Service Thames Valley (FSTV) | familyservicethamesvalley.com
- Fem’aide | femaide.ca
- Neighbours, Friends and Families - The Centre for Research & Education on Violence Against Women & Children (CREVAWC) | neighboursfriendsandfamilies.ca
Room
The Cast
