Dry Lips Oughta Move to Kapuskasing: A Play Book

Cw: rape

This is a fantastic piece of writing, but I was going to give it three stars, simply because I am Officially Tired of graphic rape scenes onstage. I understand the symbolic importance of the sequence, I understand why Highway included it, the assault is better written and more relevant than plenty of other examples of this phenomenon I could name (yes, Nick Dear, I AM looking at you) but the depiction of male violence onstage has a long and problematic history and I'm just. tired of it.

Nevertheless: I'm giving this play five stars because all the reviews here written by white people are making me so angry. Y'all are out here like "oh this was too graphic and upsetting, too much rough language, I don't speak Cree and why was so much of this play in a language I don't even understand?? also why is Christianity represented as bad? Christians are nice people. :(" 1) read a book. my god. 2) I know this is a tough concept but maybe--just maybe--not all literature is neatly packaged for easy consumption by a white audience???

[disclaimer I realize I'm talking about white people as though I'm not one and I super am and I don't which to lay claim to a holier-than-thou level of wokeness. but good lord you guys.]