A play about death touches A NERVE

Response has been massive for In Seven Days, Jordi Mand’s work about medical assistance in dying

- GLENN SUMI

Mairi Babb and Ron Lea star in “In Seven Days,” which runs until May 16 at the Meridian Centre for the Arts after a successful run at London, Ont.’s Grand Theatre.

In just over a decade, Toronto-based writer Jordi Mand has premiered six plays. Each has been well received. A couple are based on well-known figures or beloved novels. Two debuted at the prestigious Stratford Festival. But none has generated the kind of massive audience response and feedback like her latest.

Why? Her new play, “In Seven Days,” deals with medical assistance in dying, or MAID, which has been a controversial topic since it was legalized in Canada in 2016.

“I’ve never had an audience react to my work the way they’ve reacted to this,” said Mand, about the play’s run this year at London, Ont.’s Grand Theatre, co-produced with Toronto’s Harold Green Jewish Theatre. It begins performances here this week.

“There were lots of talkbacks, panels and discussions. People would sometimes stay for hours afterwards, talking about their personal experiences either with MAID or someone they knew who was dying. I had someone tell me, ‘You know, my mom has qualified for MAID and wants to go through with it, and I am the thing holding her back. And after seeing this play, I realize I have to think about getting out of her way.’ ”

“In Seven Days” centres on Rachel (Shaina Silver-Baird), a 30-year-old Toronto lawyer who treks out to London to have Shabbat dinner with her father, Sam (Ron Lea), and his girlfriend, Shelley (Mairi Babb).