ROY: It's not like every lady is linin' up the block to see me.
HELLIE: Why wouldn't they? You're very handsome, Roy.
ROY: I ain't fishin' Hellie. I go to the lake for that.
Another example of media long lost during the early writing days. This one goes all the way back to 2006! Robin was an actor, briefly, and it made him realize how much he preferred to be behind the scenes. The attention on him just skyrocketed his anxiety, but he had an awesome time doing character work in performing Howie Newsome, Sam Craig and a rooser in Mercury Theatre's production of Our Town, directed by Brad Rudy. Robin liked spending time in the basement of the theatre, and looking at the props and wardrobe. It was a lovely little space, sort of a converted church in St Marys, Ontario (where he'll later return to do Ruby in the Dust).
He had a little script he wanted to have read. He met the lovely Douglas Chamberlain as a child actor at Stratford doing Inherit the Wind in 2001, and Dougie returned to be featured in Our Town. Because of his jovial, humorous, almost Winnie the Pooh quality of an older guy, Robin realized he was perfect for the character Roy, an elderly blue collar widow taking perhaps his final romantic shot with his neighbour. Mercury Theatre's head honcho John Leberg greenlit a reading on a sunny afternoon, and they cobbled together a couple other actors: Lally Cadeau to play the neighbour Helen, and Jeffrey Wetsch playing Adam. Robin's friend Lindsay McMahon came in from Toronto to play Helen's daughter Jennifer, a teenage mom. Of course, Robin was still green as a writer, but received a lot of encouragement to keep developing. The title was originally called "Helen and Roy", but Lindsay kept jokingly calling it "Helen of Roy" until it stuck. So does it properly reference the Greek mythology? Who cares right now.
Helen of Roy will return in August 2026. Sort of like drawing from memory, the play will be restructured that way. Whatever moments that stuck with the writer, will be on the page.
Stripped down to a two-person love story, Helen of Roy returned to southern Ontario. This time at the fantastic Spriet Theatre at Original Kids in London, Ontario. With dramatic changes, Helen of Roy features the grandmother of PJ O'Riordan, dealing with her pregnant daughter Mary Catherine.
Collaborating once again with longtime friend Kerry Hishon (Maidenwar), she directed a stellar cast featuring Bronwyn Powell as Hellie, Patrick Hoffer as Roy, and Jenn Marino as the narrator (Maidenwar).
ROY: Nobody said nothing about Frank Sinatra or Charlie Chaplin or whatever, it’s fine for the fellas. But when the lady is old - I - I’m not sayin’ you’re old, or you don’t look old, or old in a
bad way, I’m sayin’ you're a wine. I mean, the lady gets better with cheese... oh damn it, Roy.
Robin got to meet the amazing team behind Original Kids that night, including Rosalie, who gave us the Spriet at no cost in exchange for taking some pictures - that's the sweetest deal we ever encountered. Although the turnout wasn't exactly great, the feedback and perspective from having it read, as well as the incredible acting from Bronwyn and Patrick, made it definitely worth while. The play is going into the shop, but Robin discovered more elements of magic realism and humour that he hopes to insert even more into his work. TLDR - this play will get more whimsical.
London, Ontario. August 6, 2026
In this scene, Hellie decides to take Roy up on his dinner offer. Just as friends though, she is a married lady. She does look good in that blue dress, though. Regardless, she shows up with her box of Joan Crawford wine and Roy prepares a delightful Cold Cannon (Colcannon) soup.
Praying for the safety of her daughter in the delivery room, Hellie unravels her layers for Roy in the dusty hospital chapel.
Cool thing about Original Kids is that it's located on the second floor of the Covent Garden Market. So you get a really awesome view of the stalls. Before the setup, we saw families coming in with their kids, eager to collect their parts for the upcoming Original Kids season. It's amazing to see such artistic excitement amongst kids.
