Room of Keys is a short monodrama written for actor/pianist Adam Sherkin by David James Brock.  It had a short run a couple of weeks ago in a production directed by Tom Diamond at the Nanostage on Bloor which I missed (due to getting stuck on the TTC) and was reprised on Thursday in the RBA at lunchtime; though how far they were able to reproduce the staging I’m not sure.

It’s rather loosely based on the structure of Duke Bluebeard’s Castle and features music by Bartók.  Mr. Green’s dysfunctional relationship with his father continues after the latter’s death when he discovers he has inherited a derelict music shop full of keyboards ranging from toy pianos to a concert grand.  Each comes with a cryptic note from his father; “Stop”, “Learn” etc.  Mr. Green piggy backs off these to explore his relationship with his father and their shared (or not) relationship with music.

In some ways it feels weird and artificial but some aspects of communicating/not communicating important issues with parents resonated with me.  Some things get said that maybe shouldn’t have been.  Far more simply goes unsaid.  Filling some of the gaps via a sort of joke from beyond the grave is an interesting idea at least.

The show finishes up with a sequence of Bartók piano pieces also loosely lnked to the seven rooms of the Castle.  They were really well played.  All in all an intriguing, if sometimes rather weird, hour.

Photo credit: Karen E. Reeves