Holland is Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre’s (RMTC) latest original three-act comedic play, following parents Carrie and Paul as they navigate the bureaucratic lack of accessible social services for their child with cerebral palsy. It is established that the couple have had previous complications with medical paperwork, meeting arbitrary deadlines, wait lists and strictly scheduled appointments. Opening with their latest struggle to acquire a respite worker, Carrie and Paul face the manipulative sympathy of social workers, who are depicted with a lighthearted incompetence. One social worker, Alice, gives an analogy that the excitement of having a child only for them to be born with a disability is like feeling excited for a trip to Italy but arriving in the Netherlands — hence the title of the play.
Carrie is slowly enraged by Alice’s inability to help her child, and impulsively abducts her to her home art studio. Carrie avoids suspicion by forging a post on Alice’s social media, stating she is going on vacation, and does not even inform her newly unemployed husband of what is actually happening. Yet, being the mother she is, Carrie is uncannily polite, optimistic and accommodating to Alice. She provides her with food, makeup, bedding, various media entertainment and washroom breaks. Meanwhile, Alice maintains the same manipulative sympathy as before, telling Carrie she just needs some counselling to process her emotions.
The scene transitions are repeatedly accompanied by skits starring the other two cast members acting out conversations on a fictional Facebook group for Manitoban parents of children with disabilities, rapidly switching props and voices to represent different members of the group.
The satirical show is amusingly relatable for those who have had aggravating experiences with civil bureaucracy, and contains a handful of laugh-out-loud moments. Jessy Ardern gives a chaotically exaggerated performance as Carrie, while Daniel Bogart as Paul reins her in. Alice is the most nuanced character, with somewhat ambiguous motivations for her actions, complemented by Jennifer Lyon’s comparatively more realist acting.
There is a noticeable absence in terms of the child, Daniel, having any impact on the outcome of the story. His cerebral palsy is an objectified plot device. Meanwhile his brother, Josh, is at least stated to have had a conflict with a bully at their school. Either way, there are little to no actions written for the child with the disability, despite the plot revolving around him.
Holland plays at RMTC now until Feb. 21.
