Patrick Emmanuel Abellard gives an unforgettable performance in King Dave

On Friday, March 31, Old Montreal’s Centaur Theatre was buzzing with excitement as the solo performance of King Dave was set to officially premiere. Audience members began filing into the theatre roughly 10 minutes before the performance, shortly before Patrick Emmanuel Abellard, the star of the show, strolled onto the stage. Much like a friend you haven’t seen for a while, Abellard greeted the audience as if they were one collective person, before setting up the stage. Produced by Théâtre Duceppe, written by Alexandre Goyette and directed by Christian Fortin, this 90-minute performance is intricately laced with moments of both dark humour and tragedy stemming from experiences with racism and violence.

Soon after the audience was seated, the lights dimmed and all eyes were on Abellard as he transformed into the emotionally complex and charming Dave, a young Haitian man living in Montreal Nord. The play begins with Dave entering a party, where he falls in with the wrong crowd. While under the influence of some cripplingly strong weed, Dave unintentionally agrees to steal some radios for money, at the request of some sketchy partygoers. Reluctant but committed, Dave embarks on the job, much too shaken to decline.

As the play progresses, the audience is offered a glimpse into the two realities of Dave’s world: the one where Dave is the hero of his own story, where he has the mental and physical fortitude to overcome whatever is thrown his way (which, admittedly, is a lot); the second reality is heart-wrenching — we see Dave discuss countless encounters with violence stemming from racism taking place around Montreal. He has experienced multiple instances of violence from a young age, though it seems that Dave has become far too accustomed to hiding them, especially from his mother.

Dave’s character development during this 90-minute performance is gripping. As he struggles with betrayal and fear, the audience can see him slowly grow tired of being at the receiving end of violent acts, as the desire for revenge builds up inside of him.

Dave’s speech at the end of the play, which is easily one of the most powerful moments of the performance, drills one message loud and clear into the audiences’ minds: these violent encounters are not isolated. He lists off metro stations, street intersections and buses where he has been the victim of both gang-related violence and violence fuelled by racism. Though the end of the play can be considered as Dave’s devastating breaking point, it is also the moment when the character sheds the “tough guy” act and allows himself the space to be vulnerable. Sitting in the dark with the stage light shining on Dave as he pours his heart out, it’s impossible to not be struck by the character’s vulnerability (and Abellard’s immense talent). Witnessing this extremely intimate moment is guaranteed to stick with audience members long after exiting the theatre. ■

King Dave continues at Centaur Theatre (453 St-François-Xavier) through April 16. For more, please click here.

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