Long-awaited sequel to iconic play to debut in Toronto

A sequel to a renowned Toronto stage play is making its debut after 20 years. 

Through the Eyes of God is set to premiere at Theatre Passe Muraille next month. 

The production is the culmination of decades of work from the award-winning playwright Anusree Roy, as the play’s structure serves as a spiritual sequel to Roy’s seminal work Pyaasa, which debuted 20 years ago.

Roy, who was born in Kolkata, India, immigrated to Canada at a young age and has been crafting stories on the stages of Toronto and beyond for years. 

While Roy was out of the country, yourcitywithIN.com sat down with the production’s director, Thomas Morgan-Jones, to discuss theatre’s legacy in Toronto and the expansive subject matter of Through the Eyes of God.

“This play, while functioning as a sequel, does function as a stand-alone piece; you don’t need to know the story of Pyaasa beforehand. But, it does carry on a story we made over two decades ago,” Morgan-Jones told yourcitywithIN.com. 

Through the Eyes of God, reuniting both Roy and Morgan-Jones behind the curtain, also reunites audiences with the character of Chaya, who was 11 during the events of Pyaasa and is now all grown up with a daughter of her own in this story. 

Much like the previous work, Through the Eyes of God functions as a solo or ‘one-woman’ show; as a solo performer stands on an elevated platform and conveys all of the narrative heavy lifting.

A daunting task to pull off, as Chaya — played by Gabriella Sundar Singh — will be navigating a parent’s worst nightmare in Through the Eyes of God, as she grapples with the abduction of her own daughter, and her harrowing journey to prevent her from being trafficked to Delhi.

“It’s an odyssey, it’s a quest story, it’s a thriller, it’s so many things all functioning at the exact same time. All of Anusree’s [Roy’s] work is a look at human behaviour and the context of how it is shaped and framed by culture and geography — especially as all those things collide,” says Morgan-Jones.

Due to this marriage of both scope and intimacy, Morgan-Jones notes that when he first read the initial draft for Through the Eyes of God, it felt more akin to a screenplay than a stage play, which makes sense, as Roy has a massive resume of film and television writing credits. 

“The way it is all structured — and in the form of a play — it is relentless in its speed, mainly because of the state of our main character. Beyond that, it is one actor playing seven characters, all of which are sometimes even in conversation with one another, all managed to take place on this three-by-six, four-foot-high pedestal,” says Morgan-Jones.

Beyond the skills of its lead performer, Morgan-Jones further credits the entire production design, which uses light and sound composition to convey to the audience movement, emotion and both time and place. 

“This character is not a victim, and does not allow herself to be victimized. She is constantly in motion, constantly fighting, and constantly innovating her practical and emotional agility,” says Morgan-Jones. 

While the subject matter of the story can, on paper, come across as intense, Morgan-Jones impresses upon audience members that Roy’s work and writing are full of levity, stating, “Both the writing and performance convey what life is at times, it can be awful, but then it can be funny, and then really beautiful.”

Through the Eyes of God is set to have its opening night at Theatre Passe Muraille (16 Ryerson Ave), on Feb. 6.

Tickets are available online.

Headline photo courtesy of Theatre Passe Muraille