What You’re Missing was an entertaining comedy about yearning and stifling, freedom and control, assets and liabilities, culture and class, and of course, strong dominating mothers. Vancouver-born, UK-based playwright Tamara Micner paints with a smile as she colours the streams of implications for two young people in love, living in the shadows of two very different histories – the Eastern European and Chilean Jewish experience. This effervescent, talented young writer has us laughing deeply as we celebrate the universal in fumbling our way through difference.
Luisa Jojic (Eva Schurman) had a standout performance as did Natascha Girgis (Frida Fisher), Stephen Aberle (Harry Fisher), Amitai Marmorstein (Ed Fisher) , Caitlin McCarthy (Isabel Schuman) and Jeffrey Renn (Davi Schuman) rounded out the terrific cast.
Set in 1974 in Vancouver. Isabel and Ed really like each other – and really like each other’s parents (a lot) more than their own! They want to travel together, but Ed’s mother refuses. Isabel’s dad won’t speak to Ed, Isabel’s mum won’t shut up about Pinochet, and everyone’s too hungry or too full. As the two families meet, eat, misinterpret and overreact, eventually there is a coming to age sort of finale. This production was the North American premiere presented by the Chutzpah Festival.
