I had the incredible privilege of getting to witness the world premiere of REDPATCH this past Thursday at Vancouver’s Studio 16. As Her Campus UBC featured just a few weeks ago, REDPATCH is a Hardline Productions presentation of the story of a young Métis man who volunteers his service during World War I. This production not only follows this man’s battle with the Germans, but his battle with racial discrimination and coming to terms with what his own goals are. After seeing this production myself, I cannot emphasize enough how impressed I was!
The minute I walked into the theatre, I was already immersed in the show. As we walked inside, we literally had to comb our way through fog that hung above our seats. That feeling of immersion continued throughout the show. During the performance, the actors came into the audience and acted around us. It felt as if we were in the trenches too.
The show was beautiful, haunting, and powerful. In just 90 minutes, I witnessed a performance that exquisitely captured bravery, friendship, and loss. Although the play was at times difficult to watch, as it did not shy away from the brutal reality of war or the discrimination that Indigenous peoples face, the show still found time to be light-hearted. The show’s comedic moments were perfectly placed alongside its much heavier content.
This review is not complete, however, without mentioning the incredible talent of the actors that brought this show to life. I cannot recall one weakness, or mistake, that this superb cast made during their performance. One actress, who played three different roles during the show, was particularly impressive as she was able to switch between very different characters and accents with impeccable grace.
There is still a chance to see REDPATCH during this run. The show continues until April 16 at Studio 16, so go get your ticket now! However, if you do not get the chance to see REDPATCH during this run, I am confident that this show will appear again. Make sure to look out for it in the future, as it is a show that cannot be missed.