Produced by
Peter Worden & Hailey Christie-Hoyle
I’m hardly stumped by the purpose of Reclaimed! The Woodsical. This show mixes rock parody, environmental comedy and cartoonish hijinks into a meaningful show that suggests we must do more to save our environment. It’s happening, but and what’s presented suggests we can do more than hug a tree. My big question is simple: will it remain limited to the Victoria Fringe Festival, or will they take this act on the road?
Peter Worden, the playwright and mastermind behind this work, told me everyone involved wants to take it further. Until a few more things fall into place, those plans remain uncertain. I’ll soon publish a quick interview with him that goes behind the scenes.
What makes this environmental parody work is that it doesn’t try to hammer its point across too hard. It pokes holes where needed, has some wry humour and feels like a cartoon. Honestly, I half expected a beaver to show up at some point and make this a truly Canadian production. Instead, I got other campy and crazy characters running around, like Adam Lovegrove (Ryan Garcia), who seems far too affectionate with any nearby plank of wood. It’s hilarious to watch, and you simply have to see it.
The story concerns a derelict home that “Demo” Dan (Matt Stern) and his crew have been ordered to tear down. The property’s developer wants the job finished, but Alexa Woodman (Ella May Barden), the granddaughter of the house’s original builder, has other plans. She launches a petition to save it and finds an ally in Lovegrove, an eco-conscious demolition worker who also fronts a “wood ’n’ roll” band called the Rolling Stumps.
Although the campaign to stop the demolition gains traction, knocking down the building isn’t the only threat. The story eventually reaches a fiery conclusion, and the musical finds a suitably groan-worthy way to work “We Didn’t Start the Fire” into the situation.
Worden’s songs aren’t simply about saving old-growth forests. They also promote recycling, reclaiming, respecting and repurposing what has already been cut down. The idea grows beyond wood when the show briefly addresses other types of waste that can be reused instead of tossed aside. This includes planned obsolescence, which is something I’m not fond of, especially when I get calls saying it’s time to replace a machine that still works. If it isn’t broken and can be properly cleaned, there’s no need to buy something new!
Most of the show consists of familiar rock songs from the ’70s, ’80s and ’90s with their lyrics rebuilt around trees, demolition and construction. Some adaptations are stronger than others. “I Love Asbestos” is wonderfully absurd, while the rewrite of “I’d Do Anything for Love” makes good use of how long and excessive a Jim Steinman composition can become. It gives the performer enough room to develop the joke and deliver the environmental message without forcing it. Even though this song requires that Meat Loaf touch, Lovegrove nails it. I was surprised!
Other numbers include adaptations of “We Built This City,” “Sledgehammer” and “Keep on Rockin’ in the Free World.” I cracked up at “Stump!” even though it wasn’t as wild and pompous as the Roth-inspired antics that defined the original music video. Although “Another One Bites the Dust” doesn’t quite land, “We Built This City” works perfectly within a story about construction and demolition. Unless I’m mistaken, I’m surprised Mellencamp’s “Crumblin’ Down” wasn’t used!
I also wondered whether audiences would be treated to an original track, and they delivered. I won’t say when “Give Me Wood” plays, but I had to cackle at the double entendre.
The music carries more of the story than the acting, and the production’s mise-en-scène becomes stronger during the latter half. Since I saw the first of its two Victoria Fringe performances, there’s still room to refine the transitions and give the performers more to do between songs. I will tease one detail I learned: the original script was far longer. Some ideas had to be tossed to streamline the show for Fringe, but let’s hope its next iteration happens.
My only quibble concerns the sound, and I blame the venue rather than the performers. Given St. Ann’s Academy’s historic design, the auditorium seems better suited to projecting natural voices than amplified sound. The acoustic numbers worked well, but once prerecorded music and speakers entered the mix, the room’s natural echo muddied some of the lyrics and robbed the music of its vibrancy. Changing the speaker placement probably wouldn’t solve the underlying problem. Proper sound-absorbing panels affixed to the walls would help control those reflections and allow amplified performances to shine.
Even with a few technical hitches, the production left me with barely a splinter to pick at. I got the jokes, and the crowd happily went along with the parade of puns. Even a jab at Trump drew one of the biggest laughs.
Reclaimed! The Woodsical is a fun romp with purpose. It may not change the world on its own, but if it can change a few habits, I support it. Beneath all the timber jokes is a sensible argument about how easily valuable materials get discarded. Heck, if we had a better electronics recycling program, more gold and copper could be recovered! Globally, only about 22% of generated e-waste reaches formal recycling streams.
As for old buildings in other parts of the world, this concern travels well beyond Victoria. Cities and countries across North America and Europe now require some combination of material audits, selective demolition, salvage, reuse and recycling. Whether a building is made from timber, brick or concrete, identifying what can be safely reclaimed and reused simply makes sense. While this show parodies the demolition business, there’s still one cause for concern.
The same practice extends to cars, airplanes and other technology. Of course, that assumes no supernatural spirit is attached to a salvaged part. Otherwise, we’d be in trouble! That’s a rabbit hole for another discussion, though. Wood you believe a reclaimed part can be cursed?
4 Stars out of 5
Reclaimed! The Woodsical
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