My Funny Valentine
My Funny Valentine
Sometimes seeing a theatre performance is simply about being entertained and forgetting about the challenges in our lives and in the world. At other times, theatre can be about creating a safe space for exploring things outside our comfort zone, that we might want to better understand.
In 2008, 15-year-old Lawrence King asked a boy in his class to be his valentine. The next day that boy shot him and King died. The murder made headlines and Newsweek pronounced it to be “the most prominent gay-bias crime since the 1998 murder of Matthew Shepard.” When Vancouver-based playwright Dave Deveau first read about the murder, "It just hit me in the solar plexus. It was something that just caught me off guard and I needed to know more." In response, he wrote My Funny Valentine, which was first performed in 2011.
Through one actor (Conor Wylie), My Funny Valentine peers into the hearts and minds of seven characters—including a journalist, a disgruntled father, an 11-year-old girl, and a teacher—on the fringes of this murder who find themselves caught in the orbit of King’s death. Each one offers poignant and probing reflections, and together they represent a nuanced and diverse community in mourning, trying to heal.
So yes, it’s a very difficult topic, and My Funny Valentine will likely break your heart and touch your soul. We hope that by sharing the experience in a theatre setting, you’ll feel connected to others who are also searching through the confusion and chaos, and you’ll uncover your unique viewpoint.
Audience advisory: mature themes, strong language, and descriptions of violence
Running time: approximately 1 hour 15 minutes, no intermission
A Zee Zee Theatre Company production
By Dave Deveau
Directed by Cameron Mackenzie
More Information
Interview with the playwright
CBC Radio's North by Northwest
