CREDIT: THE GRAND THEATRE (DAHLIA KATZ) VIA TWITTER
Cast member Beck Lloyd played the role of Desmond and demonstrated her life as a teacher, a wife, a hairdresser, and most importantly, a mixed-race woman who was standing up for her rights.

Have you ever heard of the Canadian civil rights activist Viola Desmond? If you haven’t, next time you have a $10 bill, you will notice that her face is printed on it. But, who is she really and how did she make history?

After venturing to The Grand Theatre on Jan. 28 for the production of Controlled Damage, I left with a strong understanding of what Desmond’s story was. This play, written by Andrea Scott, gave the audience a feel of history and a visual of what life looked like from a race aspect during that time.

Firstly, the experience of sitting in a live theatre to picture and understand Desmond’s life and perspective as a mixed-race woman, was one that I will never forget. Not only was the play extremely touching, but the atmosphere of simply being there reminded me of how special live theatre can really be.


The cast and production members really brought this story to life, making me feel as though I had been transported back in time to take a look into a life that I am unfamiliar with. Cast member Beck Lloyd played the role of Desmond and demonstrated her life as a teacher, a wife, a hairdresser, and most importantly, a mixed-race woman who was standing up for her rights.

Desmond lived in a time where wives didn’t need to work because their husbands would bring home the income and they were expected to take care of the household upkeep. However, Desmond wanted to do both and so she did. She found her passion as a hairdresser and later started creating products specializing in Black hair types. She had gained so much success that some days she would do road trips to deliver her products to customers. One day during her product delivery, she found herself in another city and decided to spend her night at the theatre. This moment was the highlight of the play and of course the highlight of Desmond’s history. The play started with this scene, showing the audience an inside look of what was coming later on. When the scene was performed for the second time, during the correct timeline, I was taken aback. Yes, I was expecting this scene to occur, but what I wasn’t expecting was the cast making it feel so real and displaying how different life really was. It made me put myself in Desmond’s shoes to imagine how it would have felt to be in such an uncomfortable position.

Desmond was judged for the colour of her skin and reprimanded for sitting in a “white’s only” section, which I should add had no signage indicating this. “Luckily” for her, she made a high income and was able to make bail after being arrested.

Not only was this compelling story performed brilliantly, but I also couldn’t stop talking about the amazing voices of those who sang during the play. The acting throughout the play was inspiring and the work that went into creating this didn’t go unnoticed.

This was my first time visiting the Grand and I can confidently say that it will not be my last time. As technology has evolved and film has all turned digital, it is not often that you hear people going to the cinema, let alone a live theatre. I’m here to tell you that being back in a live theatre made me appreciate the production and work that goes into it.

I was lucky to catch this historical play the night before it closed. With that, I still encourage you to look into the Grand when you are looking for a way to spend your spare time. Take a break from school and grab a friend to visit the theatre. I promise you won’t regret it!