[img_inline align=”right” src=”http://padnws01.mcmaster.ca/images/Loss.jpg” caption=”The Honours Performance Series presents Loss on March 16 and 17 in the Robinson Memorial Theatre, Chester New Hall, Room 103. Image courtesy of SOTA.”]The Honours Performance Series features the work of top students from the graduating class of the Theatre and Film Studies program at McMaster University.

Loss is the final play in the student-driven series. The play has received attention for its strong Hamilton connection and its fearless look at a disease that has impacted so many lives.

The story that inspired the creation of Loss was Hamilton author Jean Rae Baxter's short story collection A Twist of Malice.

It all began when student directors Rebecca Zaretsky, Stephanie Myers and Laura Pomeroy brought their own ideas for a theatrical production to their Theatre and Film Directing class and had to seamlessly incorporate them all into one play.

Zaretsky wanted to explore how movement can communicate without words, Myers was intrigued by the dark side of human nature and Pomeroy wanted to bring in aspects of the feminine.

After discussing how they could convey all these elements in their play, they stumbled upon the short story Loss in Baxter's A Twist of Malice. Amazingly, Baxter's story touched upon all the issues they wanted to explore.

As a collaborative production, the cast (Heidi Ludwick, Danny Shuster and Michelle Urbano) had worked closely with the three directors to develop a script through structured improvisation. During the process, the cast also worked hand in hand with musician Andrew Loeb to create an original score for the show, designed to enhance the dialogue and movement pieces.

As the characters were fleshed out, a dark story emerged about a woman scorned. The play centred on the confused reality of Catherine, a middle-aged woman trying to come to terms with her recent divorce and fight against breast cancer. Loss managed to expose the macabre side of femininity fraught with violent and fatal fantasies.

McMaster's newly renovated Robinson Memorial Theatre in Chester New Hall, Room 103 is the setting for the Honours Performance Series. The performance is free and take places on Friday, March 16 at 12:30 p.m. and 8 p.m. and Saturday, March 17 at 8 p.m.

For more information, please call (905) 525-9140, ext. 24246.