About the Play:

Lawrence & Holloman is a full-length comedy by Morris Panych. This much-produced absurdist two-hander by Canada's king of eccentric dark comedy brings together a mild mannered, suicidal schmuck named Holloman who is taken under the wing of Lawrence, a dim witted, happy-go-lucky suit salesman who is on a hot streak. But Lawrence's hot streak is about to end. And maybe, just maybe, Holloman insists on taking Lawrence down with him.

Lawrence & Holloman is about a relationship between two men who meet by chance in an elevator. They work in the same department store, but they have diametrically opposed personalities; Lawrence is an ever-optimistic "salesman of the month" engaged to a wealthy young woman, while Holloman is a suicidal accounting clerk. Lawrence the optimist tries to teach Holloman the pessimist how to live happily and remain positive. That is, until his own good luck starts to turn. Lawrence's fiancée dumps him, his car is demolished, his dog goes missing, he loses his job, and his apartment is burned to the ground... and that's just the beginning! Is happiness determined by our outlook on life? Or can our destiny be changed by another? Lawrence and Holloman is a world in which Camus meets Dali, and Goya meets Disney: think of it as theatre of the absurd settling on a whoopee cushion.

Lawrence & Holloman premiered in 1998 at Tarragon Theatre in Toronto. Since then the play has been produced widely at professional theatres across Canada and in the US and has been mounted by colleges and community theatres. It was also adapted as feature film of the same name, which won over a dozen awards including the Canadian Comedy Award for Best Feature Film.

Cast: 2 men

What people say:

"The dramatic universe of… Morris Panych is an exquisitely well ordered place. Genuinely funny… smart… carefully crafted… and neatly delivered." — Globe & Mail

"Lawrence & Holloman is slick stuff indeed." — Toronto Sun

"Lawrence and Holloman can make nihilism seem like a party." — The Sacramento Bee

About the Playwright:

Morris Panych is one of Canada's most significant contemporary playwrights. He has written more than 30 works for the stage and directed nearly 100. He is the winner of two Governor General's Literary Awards for Drama, the country's most prestigious literary honour. He has won 14 Jessie Richardson Awards, three Sidney Riske Writing Awards and five Dora Mavor Moore Awards.