Post Productions has delivered something truly special with Kieran Potter’s Copracorn, a darkly comedic fantasy that opened last weekend at the Shadowbox Theatre and continues for six more performances over the next two weeks. This debut play from first-time playwright Potter is an absurd yet highly enjoyable romp that manages to blend economic anxiety with fantastical elements in ways that feel both surreal and surprisingly grounded.
The story follows Harris Owens (Nikolas Prsa), an unemployed aspiring artist living in squalor, naming cockroaches for entertainment while facing eviction from his increasingly hostile landlord Anya (Cheri Scratch). Into this dire situation arrives Copracorn (Joey Ouellette), a gleeful shape-shifting entity who appears as everything from a three-eyed green cow to a fuzzy hat, promising to help Harris get his life together. What unfolds is a cautionary tale about the seductive nature of easy solutions and the dangerous allure of false hope.
Potter has crafted what he envisions as a contemporary fable, and the designation fits perfectly. Like the best fables, Copracorn uses fantastical elements to illuminate very real human struggles – in this case, the economic precarity facing young adults in today’s world. The playwright draws from his own experiences of independent living, creating in Harris a character who represents an exaggerated version of economic desperation and social isolation.
The production’s greatest strength lies in its ability to balance the absurd with the achingly real. Harris’s cramped, garbage-strewn apartment, designed by Fay Lynn, serves as both a realistic representation of economic struggle and a perfect stage for magical intrusions. The set design brilliantly captures what emerges as contrasts between harsh reality and fleeting moments of whimsical possibility within an otherwise grim environment.
Nikolas Prsa delivers a masterful performance as Harris, capturing the character’s erratic energy swings between hope and despair. Prsa brings depth to what could have been a simple sad-sack character, making Harris’s desperation palpable while maintaining the comedic timing essential to the play’s success. His chemistry with the ensemble creates authentic relationships that ground the fantastical elements.
Joey Ouellette’s portrayal of Copracorn is nothing short of revelatory. Originally conceived as a more sinister figure, the character evolved into something more mischievous and charismatic. Ouellette embraces this playful energy completely, bringing what emerges as an almost childlike exuberance that bounces chaotically through every scene. His performance captures the character’s nature as both helpful guide and destructive force.
The supporting cast excels in multiple roles, with Heath Camlis and Mary Grace Weir particularly impressive as the oddly codependent mother-son duo Josh and Betty. Their relationship serves as a stark contrast to Harris’s estranged family connections, creating what appears to be an alternative version of what the protagonist might have become with better family support. Cheri Scratch brings volatile complexity to landlord Anya. Her portrayal suggests someone who might genuinely care about Harris beneath her financial frustrations – adding unexpected emotional texture to their antagonistic relationship.
One of the play’s most memorable sequences involves a series of job interviews where Copracorn assists Harris in the form of a talking hat. This semi-montage allows Potter to explore the most disastrous possible outcomes of employment seeking while maintaining comedic momentum. It’s a brilliant example of how the play uses fantasy elements to amplify very real anxieties about employment and economic survival.
The production design deserves special recognition, particularly the numerous handmade plushies that Copracorn creates and sells through an Etsy account in Harris’s name. These props, crafted by Potter himself along with family members, represent one of the play’s central themes – the fear of having one’s creative agency stripped away. The attention to detail in these elements demonstrates the production team’s commitment to the world they’re creating.
Perhaps most intriguingly, the play features a talking cockroach named Lou Gehrig’s Disease (voiced by Michael K. Potter), who appears to offer poetic commentary on the proceedings. This surreal element, born from the playwright’s subconscious inspiration, serves as a Greek chorus of sorts, providing perspective from the lowest creatures in Harris’s already degraded world. It’s the kind of theatrical flourish that could easily feel gimmicky but instead adds to the play’s distinctive voice.
The script’s exploration of hope as both salvation and trap feels particularly relevant in our current economic climate. Potter acknowledges drawing inspiration from philosophical interpretations of hope as potentially deceptive, where the promise of easy solutions can prolong suffering rather than alleviate it. Yet Copracorn isn’t nihilistic – it’s more interested in examining how desperation makes us vulnerable to false promises than in dismissing hope entirely.
The play’s second act takes a notably darker turn, reflecting real tragedy in Potter’s own life that inspired him to complete the script. Without spoiling the specifics, this tonal shift feels earned rather than manipulative, grounding the fantastical elements in genuine emotional weight. It transforms what could have been mere whimsy into something more substantial and lasting.
Copracorn‘s success is particularly impressive given its origins in what might be the most unusual judging process in playwriting contest history. Potter served as a judge for the 2024 Windsor-Essex Playwriting Contest under the pseudonym Panos Kirby, only revealing his authorship when his own script emerged as the winner. This backstory adds an extra layer of intrigue to an already compelling production, though the play clearly succeeds on its own merits.
For Windsor audiences hungry for original, locally-created theatre that speaks to contemporary struggles while embracing theatrical imagination, Copracorn delivers exactly what’s needed. Potter has created something genuinely unique – a modern fable that feels both timelessly mythic and urgently contemporary. With six performances remaining through June 7th, this production represents essential viewing for anyone interested in the future of Canadian theatre. It’s the kind of bold, original work that reminds us why live theatre remains irreplaceable in our digital age.
Copracorn continues at the Shadowbox Theatre (1501 Howard Avenue) May 29, 30, 31 and June 5, 6, 7 at 8:00 PM. Tickets $25 at postproductionswindsor.ca or at the door.
