Since graduating from the National Theatre School of Canada just last year, Jasmine Case has already made a name for herself in the Canadian theatre scene. She won a Dora Award for her remarkable portrayal of 16-year-old enslaved mute Phoebe in Kanika Ambrose’s Truth, presented by Young Peoples Theatre last season. And now she is taking the stage at the Next Stage Festival as Robin in Theatre Aurinko’s This Feels Like the End directed by Michelle Blight and a cast featuring Cameron Laurie, Landon Nesbitt, Tara Koehler, and Bonnie Duff who is also the playwright.
“I have had a passion for acting since I was a little girl, and have dreamed of working professionally in this craft, so getting to do it is such a gift. And it’s truly the best,” she enthuses.
And this new role of Robin has fully captured Case’s imagination and her heart. To describe This Feels Like the End, she repurposes the cryptic tease on the Fringe website, and interjects additional details: “‘One morning, all over the world, the sun doesn’t rise.’ And the next morning. And the next. Between Toronto and Finland’s far North, ‘the lives of five individuals collide in a journey of faith, folklore, and conspiracy.’” She then clarifies that this intriguing snippet, which alludes to the play’s existential themes, comes to life through the eyes of Robin –who is a nine-year-old girl navigating a world that is suddenly bereft of answers.
What drew Case to the role is Robin’s inquisitive nature and unique perspective: “For me, it felt very clear that Robin, although she is nine, has such experience in life, and she can see the world so clearly – but nobody truly believes that she can.” The connection Case felt to the character was immediate and instinctive, and she was especially excited to explore Robin’s blend of innocence and insight: “I appreciate Robin’s innocence in the world where so many people aren’t innocent,” she adds.
Robin’s distinct approach to the world is central to the play’s themes, and her character’s childlike perspective offers a stark contrast to that of the more jaded and weary adults struggling to cope with the crisis. “Robin has such a pure viewpoint of the situation, and sees it as fact and fiction and logic – and wants to understand everything,” she explains. And this clarity gives Robin a sense of urgency that others lack: “Robin feels like she can see the bigger picture and needs people to hear that. Robin has the answers (she thinks), and all she has to do is get people to listen.”
Embodying the role of Robin required Case to tap deeply into her own sense of imagination and inquisitiveness. To prepare to play this character who marshals “third-grade science” and unshakeable self-belief, Case used the openness that Robin displays: “I just started asking a lot of questions, and remaining open and curious to the world around me! I’ve tried to view things from her perspective and with her open mind.” For Case, every acting role is an opportunity to play and to delve into the mind of a new character. With Robin, this playful exploration has proven particularly rewarding – especially because it nests within the edge-of-your-seat unpredictability of the audience’s experience of This Feels Like the End: “I love sharing pieces…where the audience think they know what’s coming, or how it’s going to end. This piece has you asking questions the whole time, and keeps you curious about what’s coming next.”
Though still early in her professional career, Case has already proven her versatility as an actor. Her award-winning turn in Truth, as well as her critically acclaimed performances in The Fiancée at Chemainus Festival Theatre, and in Obsidian and Crow’s Theatre’s Canadian premiere of seven methods of killing kylie jenner, suggest an already impressive range. Following This Feels Like the End, she will play Sidney Brown in Obsidian and Crow’s Theatre’s production of Flex, directed by Mumbi Tindyebwa.
And Case is pleased to play a role not just in these theatrical productions, but in the larger project of making our stages and stories more inclusive. “I’ve often thought about the fact that I am playing some very young characters who deal with some incredibly heavy topics in this life –which people are dealing with everyday – so if me [being] on stage can help someone deal with their own circumstances, that’s more than I could ever hope!”
This Feels Like the End runs for 6 performances October 17-27, as part of the 2024 Next Stage Theatre Festival, presented by the Toronto Fringe. Reserve tickets on fringetoronto.com.
© Arpita Ghosal, Sesaya Arts Magazine, 2024
