In search of some lighthearted fun and plenty of laughs, then head out to Rosebud Theatre and catch Kristen Da Silva’s very funny and crowd-pleasing comedy Hurry Hard. The show runs until May 23rd and includes Chef Mo’s always delicious buffet. Tickets are available at www.RosebudTheatre.com or by calling the box office at 1-800-267-7553.
As the play opens, we are introduced to Terry and Bill, two bickering brothers from Didsbury with a complicated history. Bill is the quiet one hesitant to stand up for what he wants, and Terry appears to be the screw-up of a brother who can’t keep a job while focusing all his dreams and ambitions on winning the Regional Bonspiel so that he can finally have bragging rights over the current champions – that annoying team from Olds. This is the last chance for Didsbury as the town is planning to tear down the curling rink leaving the local teams without a place to play. Unfortunately, the team finds themselves short a man and in need of a replacement or they’ll have to forfeit the game.
Also sharing the curling rink is the women’s team which also finds themselves short a player. That’s where we meet Sandy, Bill’s ex-wife who happens to be a pretty good curler and who’s currently attempting to teach her friend Darlene, the local hairdresser, how to play the game. Of course, you can see where this is heading. The men and the women will have to team up and play as a mixed team in order to keep their dream of being regional champions alive. Adding to the mix is Johnny , a handsome, six-pack-sporting new member of the men’s team whose mere presence can cause women to swoon like schoolgirls over their favourite boy band.
Of course, Hurry Hard isn’t the first Canadian play to use curling as a setting for a story. The New Canadian Curling Club by playwright Mark Crawford, which graced the Calgary stages at Alberta Theatre Projects a few years ago is another one, and there’s W.O. Mitchell’s classic tale, The Black Bonspiel of Wullie MacCrimmon, which was originally produced by Theatre Calgary back in the ’70s and more recently by Alberta Theatre Projects in 2024. That had me wondering if writing a play about curling is a rite of passage for Canadian playwrights and so I contacted Kristen and asked her what she thinks is the appeal of the game as a background for these different stories and her story in particular.
KRISTEN DA SILVA
It’s a funny story about Mark’s play and mine.
Hurry Hard was commissioned by Lighthouse Festival Theatre at the same time as Mark was writing The New Canadian Curling Club for Blyth Festival Theatre. Neither of us knew the other was working on a curling play until the season announcements came out. Now we jokingly check with one another before starting a new script.
Personally, I’ve never been able to pass up a good sports story, especially any kind of underdog story. I chose curling, specifically, because it’s a very cool part of our Canadian tradition. It’s a sport that attracts all ages and all skill levels and, in small towns especially, curling clubs become these community hubs. I think there are nearly endless story-telling possibilities, which is why these three plays can share a setting and be so different from one another.
JAMES HUTCHISON
So, last year Lunchbox Theatre in Calgary did a marvelous production of your play Beyond the Sea which I saw and thought was fantastic. And now here we are in Rosebud, and they are producing what I’m sure won’t be their last Kristen Da Silva play – your full-length romantic comedy Hurry Hard. So, I’m wondering with that success and as you get more productions around the world and audiences see your work has your relationship with the work and industry as a playwright changed? Are some things easier? Harder? Unexpected?
KRISTEN
Thanks so much! I wasn’t able to get to Calgary to see it myself but it looked terrific.
And thanks for the invitation to look back a bit with this question. I guess my first thought is just how fortunate and surprised I feel. In the beginning, I flew by the seat of my pants more. I think more about the craft now. I work harder at it. There have been so many opportunities given to me and I collaborate with such amazingly talented people; I want to work really hard to live up to them. It’s a gift to get to do this job every day. It’s the best job I can imagine.
JAMES
Okay, I have to ask the question, because it is a major topic of discussion in the arts. Any thoughts on AI and its impact on the arts and theatre in general.
KRISTEN
When it comes to writing, I don’t understand it at all. We have so many gifted writers on this earth. We should invest in them, because I’ve personally never left the theatre wishing the play felt less human.
JAMES
And finally, why go to Rosebud and see Hurry Hard? What do you hope audiences take away from the experience of seeing your play and this production?
KRISTEN
I hope audiences go to Rosebud, leave their troubles at the theatre door, spend a couple of hours laughing, and leave with a little more hope and joy in their hearts.
After seeing the show, I can guarantee that audiences are definitely laughing and coming away from the experience with a more positive and happier feeling about the world. Director Craig Hall expertly balances the comedy and heart of the play by assembling a terrific ensemble that brings these characters to life while Da Silva’s script is filled with smart and clever dialogue that keeps the pace moving and the laughs coming.
Brent Gill is great fun as Terry playing him with a blustery male energy that masks his true feelings and desires. Nathan Schmitt portrays his brother Bill as a man clearly with more than curling on his mind as he awkwardly tries to reconnect with his ex-wife Sandy. Sarah Joylyn Irwin plays Sandy as a woman debating which path to follow as she reviews her life choices and considers her future options. Hayley Rosenau brings a mischievous energy and sparkle to Darlene who must rise to the challenge as the Didsbury team comes together for the final game against Olds. And Matthew Mooney is a charming, friendly, take life as it comes presence who’s just happy to be a part of the team.
One of the nice things about the play is that there are no villains, unless of course you’re referring to that team from Olds. These are nice people facing challenges and trying to navigate complicated feelings. That’s what humanizes the story more than anything because we’ve all been there trying to figure out our next step in life or have known friends facing these same kinds of life situations. Adding to the relatable feeling of the play the set design by Dale Marushy, costume design by Amy Castro, lighting design by Becky Halterman, and sound design by Joy Robinson create a realistic playground for all the action to take place.
Hurry Hard is a play filled with laughter about lost dreams, second chances, and learning to speak from the heart. The lady behind me not only laughed throughout the entire play but also added the occasional comment about how the play was hilarious. So well written. And filled with laughter. This live endorsement in no way detracted from our enjoyment of the play and I have no doubt expressed the feelings and thoughts of the less vocal members of the audience.
Hurry Hard by Kristen Da Silva runs until May 23rd with matinee performances Wednesday to Saturday and evening performances on Friday and Saturday. The show is just over two hours long including an intermission. Matinee performances begin at 1:30 pm and the evening shows start at 7:30 pm. Patrons enjoying a meal before the show are advised to arrive between 11 am and 12 noon for the afternoon performance and between 5:00 pm and 6:00 pm for the evening performance. For complete details and to purchase tickets visit www.RosebudTheatre.com or call the box office at 1-800-267-7553.
