Centaur Theatre’s “Butcher” a sharp, suspenseful play

It was supposed to be an uneventful Christmas Eve night shift for Inspector Lamb of the Metro Toronto Police Department. But when an elderly man is dropped off at the station by a couple of teens – wearing a Santa Claus hat, a disheveled military officer’s uniform and speaking a strange sounding Eastern European-type language – and what will be discovered about this homeless man by the time Christmas Day roles around, will be ugly, disturbing and shockingly revealing. This is the gist of “Butcher”, the latest production of the Centaur Theatre’s 2015-2016 season, which is thrilling audiences from now until November 29.

Throughout the 90-minute production, layer upon layer is unraveled to reveal the dark secret about this old man, especially by the interpreter/nurse who is called into the station in the middle of the night to help Inspector Lamb with his investigation (as well as treat the old man’s feet, which are bloodied thanks to having all his toenails pulled out); in actuality, this old man was a general in the army of the Eastern European country that he came from, and was one of the main people responsible for a series of heinous war crimes and a genocide in that country (which directly affected the interpreter/nurse); basically, she is not there to aid the old man, but to mete out her vengeance for the crimes that he committed in her native country, hoping to get that sense of closure and justice that an international war crimes tribunal could not accomplish.

“Butcher” is an intense story of deception, genocide, trauma, and the burning question of what is getting that sense of justice, and if taking the law into your own hands is really worth getting justice. There are plenty of great performances across the board from the four-member cast, and kudos to Chip Chuipka, Alain Goulem, James Loye and Julie Tamiko Manning for their exceptional acting that keeps the audience’s interest – and in constant suspense – throughout the production. Additional kudos go to Evita Karasek for the great set that captures the grittiness of a typical urban police station ... even with its own steady rainfall! And the ongoing plot twists really makes "Butcher" an engrossing, thrilling, thought-provoking night at the theatre that cuts right to the bone; it’s a don't-miss production at its highest level. For more information, or to purchase tickets, call 514-288-3161, or go to www.centaurtheatre.com.