If Day

MaxQ Productions—Tom Hendry Warehouse

This local production, inspired by a quirky piece of Manitoba WWII history, begins as a suitably farcical comedy. The introduction of a tongue-in-cheek 1940s radio play hero ‘Johnny Canuck,’ whose serialized adventures mirror the protagonist’s journey and are played during scene breaks, establishes a satirical tone and charming retro flair. With historic footage, crowd-pleasing local humour, and a War of the Worlds-style misunderstanding at its core, the setup is ripe for a classic comedy of errors.

However, the plot (and historical references) become confusing with actual Nazis hijacking the titular campaign, along with a regiment of Manitoban inmates armed with live weapons. Questionable character choices in the portrayal of said Nazis and an overabundance of ethno-religious stereotypes land uncomfortably and were hopefully a clumsy attempt at satire.

The finale further muddies the intent of the play. When the 17 year old protagonist overcomes the Mennonite pacifist objections of his father to enlist, and inspires his presumably equally underage love interest to do the same, it is met with enthusiastic familial support. This is an odd triumph for a piece that initially presented as a satire of wartime nationalism. One hopes this was an ironic comment on propaganda and not a sincere endorsement.

If Day is at its best when it embraces absurdity and local humour, but falters when satirizing complex themes. Viewer discretion is advised.

Ashley Frantik