Playing with Fire tells Theo Fleury’s story

Playing with Fire: The Theo Fleury Story Persephone Theatre to Jan. 30

Ginger Rogers, it was famously said, had to do everything that Fred Astaire did but backwards and in high heels.

That great line comes to mind when you see Shaun Smyth in Playing with Fire. Not only does he have to do a two-hour play solo, but he has to do it on skates. It’s an amazing accomplishment not just physically, of course, but emotionally. You’d forgive him if he just survived the play night after night but Smyth isn’t just good in the role, but bloody fantastic.

The play is based on the retired NHLer’s bestseller written with Kirstie McLellan Day. As directed by Ron Jenkins, it crackles with kinetic energy. Every minute of the story is either funny, shocking, sad or fascinating. The highs are precipitous and the lows profoundly dark.

The story covers Fleury’s life from childhood in Russell, Manitoba through his hockey career and beyond. There’s a lot to tell, resulting in the play’s considerable length, which is probably its only fault.

His childhood was dreadful, but there’s no self-pity when SmythFleury talks about his detached parents, a father who drank angry and a mother addicted to medication. The rink was his refuge and he had natural ability in abundance.

Playing with Fire could not be a more perfect title. It describes the player’s style (“I had two secret weapons, anger and a high tolerance for pain”) and his lifestyle (“I set my record for partying when I stayed up for the entire Calgary Stampede.”)

Part of that reckless abandon came from being young, famous and rich and part was in response to the bleakest part of Fleury’s life, being victimized by the sexual criminal Graham James.

The play doesn’t pretend we don’t know about the abuse. It goes there quickly and without equivocation but doesn’t dwell on it, either. In fact, much more time is spent describing Fleury’s addictions to booze, strippers and gambling, not to mention a cocaine habit which cost $2,000 a week.

There’s too much here for one man to handle alone, though, which explains the added theatrical elements. The rink set is perfectly rendered, the skates real and the ice totally convincing when you see Smyth skating and shooting.

A huge screen is also used for video clips of various real-life game moments.

Smyth’s charisma and boundless energy make for a breakaway theatrical experience.