TRAVELLING METH PLAY INVOLVES AUDIENCE

You just never know where a meth lab will pop up.

Over the Christmas holidays I learned that when the house next to my
family home in Victoria was torn down for redevelopment, a crystal
meth lab was found in the basement.

Ironically, a police officer and his family live right across the
street, and one neighbour has a clear view of the street from the top
of the cul de sac and keeps a close eye on the comings and goings of
the neighbourhood.

The family that moved into this house seemed troubled but as
neighbours don't always want to pry, nothing was done to check out
the situation.

Williams Lake may be considerably smaller than Victoria, but Kellie
Hopkins says there are likely meth labs in this community that also
go undetected.

While there have been many stories in the news about the ravages
crystal meth has on the body - stories of instant addiction,
psychotic episodes, and shattered lives - Hopkins says people are
lured to making the drug by their own addictions and the prospect of easy cash.

"It is just so cheap to make and the profits that can be made are
just so great," she says.

Hopkins is the coordinator for the Choices for Youth program at the
Cariboo Friendship Centre, and is working with Courtney Zalay to
bring in an interactive play about crystal meth and its detrimental
effects on individuals, families and communities.

The play is simply titled Meth and is being mounted by Vancouver's
Headlines Theatre. It is an original forum theatre play created and
performed by people who have struggled with meth addiction themselves.

"It's incredible to watch. I was just in awe of those people who put
their lives up there for everybody to watch," says Hopkins.

About 25 people gathered at the Cariboo Friendship Centre Thursday to
begin raising awareness about the play, which Hopkins says is also a
springboard to discussion on other issues around drug addiction and
recovery. Posters and flyers are being distributed in the community
about the play.

Williams Lake is one of about 25 communities in the province where
the play will be staged during January and February.

Meth will be performed at Gibraltar Room in the Cariboo Memorial
Complex, starting at 7 p.m. Feb. 1.

"This is about our community -- how it affects our community,"
Hopkins says. "The setting of the play will give people a more human
look at the problem."

During the evening the play will be performed the first time without
interruption.

It will then be performed a second time at which point audience
members will be invited to come up with solutions to the conflicts
they see on stage and come down onto the stage to act out their
solutions with the cast members.

This style of performance and dialogue is more than talking about the problems.

It asks audiences to practice solutions.

Rather than putting forward a simple message it engages the community
in making meaningful choices.

Director David Diamond also takes some of the edge off this difficult
topic with his jokes and humour.

Given the nature of the play and the emotions it may evoke in people,
Hopkins says there will be counsellors identified in the audience who
will be available for people who feel they may need someone to talk
with about what they are feeling.

"Because of the issues at hand, it very well could bring up emotions
of individuals and concerns for what family or friends have
experienced," Hopkins says.

The play is free and refreshments will be provided.

Hopkins says the performers hope the audience will include a healthy
representation of students, educators, and especially families.

She also cautions that there could be some coarse language so
children of elementary school age should be accompanied by parents or
guardians.