Pubdate: Thu, 22 Feb 2007
Source: North Island Gazette (CN BC)
Copyright: 2007 North Island Gazette
Contact:  http://www.northislandgazette.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2783
Author: Pat King

METH TACKLES ADDICTION FORCEFULLY

PORT HARDY - The community was chastised for its lack of response, 
during Meth, an interactive play about addiction.

Meth is not only about crystal meth addiction, it is about addiction 
of all types. It is about co-dependency.  It is about the ability we 
all have to ignore the truth.

The stage was set with a family home on one side and a bachelor 
apartment on the other.

The lights and the large video screen in the background were used to 
indicate the setting.  This eliminated the necessity of changing 
props, so the play presented as a very intense one act.

The opening scene is in a graveyard.  A young man's funeral.  His 
best friend Trey is there, and his brother Adam.  A 17-year-old girl, 
Karen, is standing off a little, and then approaches the 
brother.  She had not seen him for a while, but they had been good friends.

We later learn that Trey is a drug dealer as well as user.  Adam 
started out as a weekend party user, but in burying the loss of his 
brother he becomes addicted, doesn't sleep, is continually thirsty, 
and in the end has a seizure.

Karen's family consists of her mom, her grandmother, and her cousin 
Cliff.  During the course of the play the co-dependencies within this 
family become apparent.  The grandmother keeps a bottle in her purse. 
The mother is a workaholic who refuses to see the truth of what is 
happening in her family, and who has kept the truth from Karen 
regarding her father.  Cliff had used drugs in the past, and is now 
into gambling.

The awful reality of this family is that they appeared so normal.  To 
the outside community this is a single working mom, a grandmother 
helping her daughter and grandkids, a young man who works at a paying 
job, and a schoolgirl.

After the play was finished, the artistic director David Diamond 
explained how the audience was to interact.  The play was done again, 
with various people in the audience calling "Stop!" and replacing one 
of the actors on the stage.  There were times that "Stop!" needed to 
be called, but no one did.  Diamond chastised the audience - the 
silence from the audience was the same as the silence of our 
communities to the actual problems out there.  Perhaps no one knew 
what could be said that would make the other characters react in a 
way that would bring a different outcome.

Peter Carter of Vancouver Island Health Authority was key in bringing 
the play to Port Hardy Saturday.  He was on hand with a team of 
counselors, available to assist anyone who wanted.

Counseling and support is available on the North Island for those 
struggling with addictions:  24 Hour Crisis Line at 949-6033, Mental 
Health & Addiction Services at 949-8611 in Port Hardy or 956-3644 in 
Port McNeill, Youth Addiction Services at 949-8611, Child & Youth 
Mental Health at 949-8011, North Island Crisis Counseling Centre at 
949-8383, Family Place at 949-7330, North Island Community Services 
at 956-3134, Gwa'sala-'Nakwaxda'xw Health & Family Services at 
956-8131, Kwakiutl District Council Health at 949-6625, Quatsino 
First Nation Health Centre at 949-7161, and the Sacred Wolf 
Friendship Centre at 902-0552.

And there are several websites for more information about substances 
and protective influences for parents:  www.heretohelp.bc.ca, 
www.youarethelink.ca, www.search-institute.ore and www.aadac.com.

Meth was also scheduled for a performance in Alert Bay Monday night.
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MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman