This musical is a brilliant collaboration between Spirit of the West’s John Mann and acclaimed Canadian playwright Morris Panych. The play draws from Mann’s own experience and his solo album of songs by the same name. This musical follows “J” as he navigates life before and after a colorectal cancer diagnosis.

The play transfixes the audience from the opening scene where chairs are placed and more chairs from above are 'flown' down transcending the mundane in the Waiting Room. Yet, these enormous number of chairs suggest the limitless time needed for waiting. A hospital waiting room can be stark, needing patience, not only in coping with the pain but also in waiting. Waiting is a skill or a non-action that requires patience and perseverance-- waiting in a hospital can be frightening as patients visualize the disastrous diagnosis of illness.

However, in this Waiting Room there is also light, an angel and hope. A little fairy-like girl (Matreya Scarrwener performs angelically) either imagined or real gives comfort and encouragement to Mann. So much waiting, so many tests, so much pain becomes bearable because of this angel who describes her own struggle with Leukaemia, her rat that gave her solace and her ultimate death and life after death. Mann trusts and depends on this angel so much that he expects to die anytime but the doctors insist he is cancer-free. This turns out to be a surprise for him who almost reluctantly accepts that he still has some living to do.

The drama is a fascinating study not only of Mann's journey through living with cancer but also shows how it affects his family. If one family member suffers, it affects all the others. As Mann points out, ‘the people who love us suffer with us and that’s part of the joy of loving.’ Another lesson he explains is that Life happens, no matter how hard we try to anticipate or defend ourselves against unwanted experiences. “We’re all afraid of what’s going to happen but it happens anyway.’ So it's best to enjoy each day.

Much humour, comedic episodes in life-threatening situations, breathtaking music and song and the formidable talent of Jonathon Young with the strong support of the rest of the caste especially the “spirited” child and stone-faced doctor ( Bonnie Panych), makes this an outstanding performance.

Much humour, comedic episodes in life-threatening situations, breathtaking music and song and the formidable talent of Jonathon Young with the strong support of the rest of the caste especially the “spirited” child and stone-faced doctor ( Bonnie Panych), makes this an outstanding performance.

Adding to Life's often unfair trials, Mann has now been diagnosed with the early onset of Alzheimer's. As a result, Panych could not give him the lead role. Mann is however, still valiantly playing the music and giving his best to the human cause. It truly brings home the transiency of life. The play, a poignant true-life story of courage through pain and suffering, love and joy keeps the audience spell-bound and hopeful about dealing with the challenges of living.

© 2015 Maria Figueiredo