Ferguson's 'two-hander' opens in Montreal

Also known for his novels 'City of Ice' and 'The Timekeeper', Ferguson credits his fourth and darkest play, 'Zarathustra said some things, no?' for rejuvenating his passionate juices for writing.

“It’s so different... shockingly different (and the) most intense I’ve written,” said Ferguson, comparing 'Zarathustra' to his previous plays. “It’s the most surprising play in its turns and twists.”

The story of a Canadian couple, Ricky and Adrienne, who enter into a suicide pact while living a disturbing and dysfunctional life in a rundown Paris hotel, was born out of a late night in 2004 involving hard liquor and an exchange of ideas at La Cabana on Boul. St. Laurent with Montreal actor Brett Watson.

Watson, who had acted in Ferguson’s previous three plays, changed the mood of the evening by pitching him the idea of writing a great two-hander — a play involving two actors.

“We both had quite a bit to drink... and I suggested, ‘Trevor you should write a two-hander,’” said Watson. "I said, a good two-hander is when two people have an established relationship and it eventually turns itself on its head.”

From Watson’s simple idea, Ferguson had the plot already worked out in his head the following morning.

“I got a call early the next morning... and [Ferguson] said ‘I’ve got this play,’” said an astonished Watson.

A few days later, Ferguson had a script completed.

“I slept on it [and] I woke up and had the whole thing pretty much in my head,” said Ferguson. “I think it took four days from there to write, but I had the whole story the next day,” he said.

Ferguson wrote the parts of Ricky and Adrienne specifically for Watson and fellow Montreal actor Lina Roessler, who had also acted in all of his plays, because he believed only they had the strength and talent to take on the emotional depths of the two characters.

“It demands a lot of them, that’s for sure,” said Ferguson of Roessler and Watson. “What gets them through it is they have to rely on each other, each pushing the other one to keep going,” he said. “It’s not every pair of actors that can do this play.”

Ferguson wasn’t wrong in his choice of actors, as 'Zarathustra' achieved critical success during its six-month run as an off-Broadway production. However, after two years since its New York success, the play is finally making its Montréal debut with Ferguson’s old friend who first persuaded him to write a play — Guy Sprung — at the helm to direct.

Ferguson, who admits he was a bit leery about staging the play in Montreal, is excited about finally getting the chance to premier his latest work at home. As for the near future, the Westmount native has a full slate of projects in the works with two films and an episodic TV series on the way — but he doesn’t want to stop there.

“If I survive that, certainly I want to do another novel and another film, [and] I have another play on the table.”

• Produced by Infinitheatre, 'Zarathustra said some things, no?' runs from March 15-30 at Théâtre La Chapelle, 3700 Ste. Dominique St. Info: 514-843-7738.