One of the joys of live theatre is the opportunity it offers to plunge into different worlds and different times. This year, the annual Kingston Ontario Kick & Push Festival is set to transport us all the way back to 1972, to the worn streets of Owen Sound, a town on the edge of change and bursting with rough-hewn resilience.
On the menu this year is a vibrant performance of ‘Butterfly Tongue’, a play that promises to enthral with its intoxicating blend of wit, pathos, and the bruised spirit of a time and place wrestling with its past and uncertain future.
The story unfurls in the year prohibition was repealed—yes, 1972!—and charts the poignant journey of a hardy narrator, navigating the rubbled remains of his heart, post a love affair that was beautiful yet ultimately catastrophic. The woman who left an indelible imprint on his heart is no ordinary figure, she is depicted as an enigmatic creature blessed (or cursed) with angel’s wings, symbolizing her ethereal yet inaccessible nature.
‘Butterfly Tongue’ is a narrative full of stark contrasts—humour rubbing shoulders with heartache, hardened cynicism giving way to profound sadness, reality grappling with surreal elements. And it’s the seamless interweaving of these diverse threads that lends the play its unique charm.
The setting of Owen Sound, a small, working-class city, mirrors the protagonist’s gritty and tenacious spirit. It’s a town that’s seen better days, yet it refuses to give in, persisting with an endearing stubbornness that mirrors our narrator’s resolve.
Witness as the robust defences of our narrator crumble, his hard-boiled commentary subtly shifting to a sublime pathos. Watch as his love story, heartrending yet speckled with dry humour, breathes life into the weary backdrop of Owen Sound, making it pulse with renewed vigour.
‘Butterfly Tongue’ is more than a theatrical performance; it is an experience that makes you ponder, laugh, and shed a tear or two. It’s a transformative journey that whisks you back to a bygone era, compels you to navigate its troubled waters, and leaves you touched, moved, and perhaps a little bit changed.
This year’s Kick & Push festival promises an unforgettable journey down memory lane, a hearty dive into the complex interplay of human emotions and a refreshing encounter with the indomitable spirit of a town and a man standing on the precipice of change. Be there to witness the magic unfurl, one scene at a time. Click HERE for tickets
Experience the authenticity, the raw emotions, and the powerful narrative of ‘Butterfly Tongue’. Be part of the annual Kingston Ontario Kick & Push Festival. Because theatre is not just about watching a story—it’s about living it.