calamity mentality

The only available images from the play. 1: Rene Metcalf (Celine Stubel) and Danny (Rod Peter Jr.). 2: Dr. Roland Welby (Jacob Richmond) and Rene Metcalf (Celine Stubel).

Qualities Of Zero

Six person cast.

Written by: Jacob Richmond.

Jacob Richmond’s first professional play.

Note: I’m freaking obsessed I’ve been holding back posting anything about this so that this can exist as a complication of information.

To my knowledge, this is the only sort of thing like this for QOZ. So yeah, whether you’ve heard of it or not, I hope this helps, and I hope you fall in love with it like I have.

Productions:

Tarragon Theatre Extra Space

Waterfront Theatre

1-Tarragon Theatre Extra Space

Dates: Nov 28 - Dec 16, 2011

Cast: Scott McCord, Robert Tsonos, Carly Street, Rodger Barton, Barbara Gordon, John Cleland.

Director: Micheal Kessler Black

(Source 1 - cast, director, dates. Source 2 - dates, venue)

2- Atomic Vaudeville & Vancouver Fringe (venue: Waterfront Theatre)

Dates: Nov 1 - 19, 2006.

Cast: Jacob Richmond, Jeff Gladstone, Micheal Delamont, Gina McIntosh, Rod Peter Jr., Celine Stubel.

Director: Britt Small

(Source 4 - venue, dates, cast, director. Source 5 - Atomic Vaudeville’s website)

Characters:

Dr. Roland Welby

Rideau Welby

Welby’s Father

Welby’s Mother

Dr. Tom Selkin

Smelsh

Teacher

Aurora Selkin

Dr. Renè Metcalf

Danny

(Source 1 + Source 3 - character names)

1-Dr. Roland Welby

Played by Scott McCord (Tarragon Theatre) & Jacob Richmond (Waterfront Theatre)

Dr. Roland Welby is North America’s leading neurochemist. Offbeat, rational, smart and emotionless. He suffered a mental break after his mother’s death, and invented a drug which blocks out emotion. He believes happiness is impossible for creatures who must die, Time + Expectation Of Euphoria = Perpetual Disappointment. And all that. He is the main character, and the crux of the story seems to be his relationships with other characters when his drug is taken away.

“"The Qualities of Zero" traces the experiences of neurochemist Dr. Roland Welby as he attempts to comes to terms with the death of his mother. He is a highly self-conscious genius whose hyperrational view of the world prevents him from telling or understanding jokes without explaining them. At career day at a kindergarten, Welby, still stricken with grief, strays from his topic to explain why happiness is impossible to beings who must die. His summary equation is T + EOE = PD, that is "Time plus expectation of euphoria equals perpetual disappointment". The fiasco at the school leads him to test a new drug he has developed on himself. The drug can completely block the emotional highs and lows produced by the limbic system, "happy-mad-sad land" as he calls it, thus allowing him to feel "zero" when confronting the world around him.” (Source 1, 2001)

“It is a set of variations on emotionless-hyperintellectual-confronts-embarrassing-situation, where Welby is compelled to evaluate everything, even sex and death, in term of advantages versus disadvantages.” (Source 1, 2001)

“Much of the humour lies in the odd rhythm of the script that continually requires Welby to catch onto things several beats after everyone else.” (Source 1, 2001)

”Although Welby's drug controls his emotions, it cannot protect him from those of others and by the end when his supply has been cut off he is entangled in the web his interactions with others has created.” (Source 1, 2001)

“…North America's leading Neuroscientist (Roland Welby)…” (Source 3, 2006)

“After the death of his mother, and becoming dangerously unhinged while giving a lecture in a grade four career day, Doctor Roland Welby decides to forgo the traditional methods of overcoming grief and madness by taking his own experimental drug that makes him feel absolutely nothing.” (Source 3, 2006)

“When the drug is finally removed Roland is forced to deal with the people in his life on an emotional level he was never comfortable expressing.” (Source 3, 2006)

“…Roland, a nutty neuro-scientist who develops a serum that neutralizes emotions, a serum he regularly injects into his neck. You can see why he’d want to be able to control himself, surrounded as he is by problems and temptations…” (Source 4, 2006)

2-Rideau Welby

Played by Robert Tsonos (Tarragon Theatre) & Jeff Gladstone (Waterfront Theatre).

Rideau is Roland’s brother. He is schizophrenic, and was just recently taken out of a psychiatric hospital. He is obsessed with eating Charlemagne’s cheese.

“Welby's brother Rideau is a schizophrenic obsessed with Charlemagne's cheese-consumption who decides to go off his thorazine after leaving a mental home.” (Source 1, 2001)

“…and finally his (Welby’s) brother Rideau (A recent exile from a mental institution).” (Source 3, 2006)

“…a crazy brother (Jeff Gladstone)…” (Source 4, 2006)

3-Welby’s Father (minor character)

Does not appear in play.

Dead. Seemingly for a while, like since Welby was quite young.

”When Welby's father died…” (Source 1, 2001)

4-Welby’s Mother (minor character)

Does not appear in play.

Dead. An alcoholic, since her husband died. She opened an all-year Christmas store, since Christmas is the happiest day of the year.

“When Welby's father died his mother became an alcoholic and opened a Christmas store to live the happiest day of the year year-round.” (Source 1, 2001)

5-Dr. Tom Selkin

Played by Rodger Barton (Tarragon Theatre) & Micheal Delamont (Waterfront Theatre)

Welby’s boss in 2001 and his coworker in 2006. It is unclear. He wants to be Spanish pirate, and Welby proves that all his stuff is useless. That causes him to go off the rails and after Welby.

“Welby's boss fantasizes that he is a Spanish pirate and when Welby's research proves that his life's work is worthless, he goes berserk and seeks revenge.” (Source 1, 2001)

“Among the people Roland must deal with are Doctor Selkin (A man obsessed with becoming Spanish)” (Source 3, 2006)

“…an overwrought colleague who has it in for him (Michael Delamont)…” (Source 4, 2006)

6-Smelsh (minor character)

Played by Rodger Barton (Tarragon Theatre) & Micheal Delamont (Waterfront Theatre)

Welby’s foul-mouthed landlord.

“Welby’s foul-mouthed landlord.” (Source 1, 2001).

7-Teacher (minor character)

Played by Barbara Gordon (Tarragon Theatre) & Gina McIntosh (Waterfront Theatre)

A teacher. Shocker. Very uptight and ‘prim’.

“…the too-prim Teacher whose class Welby disrupts…” (Source 1, 2001)

8-Aurora Selkin

Played by Barbara Gordon (Tarragon Theatre) & Gina McIntosh (Waterfront Theatre)

The CEO of the company Dr. Metcalf, Dr. (Tom) Selkin and Dr. Welby work for in 2001, and their boss in 2006. She is Dr. Tom Selkin’s ex-wife, as she divorces him for Dr. Welby. She’s desperate for Welby, seemingly because she is being neglected by her husband. He’s likely going after Welby, working or fantasizing about being a Spanish pirate.

“The boss's wife and CEO of the company both work for is dangerously unhinged after divorcing her husband and throws herself at Welby.” (Source 1, 2001)

“…the sex-starved CEO (Aurora).” (Source 1, 2001)

“…His (Welby’s) boss Aurora Selkin (a cosmetic surgery fanatic)” (Source 3, 2006)

”..the colleague’s sexy wife, also Roland’s boss (Gina McIntosh)…” (Source 4, 2006)

9-Renè Metcalf / Rene Metcalf

Played by Carly Street (Tarragon Theatre) & Celine Stubel (Waterfront Theatre)

Renè, Welby’s lab partner, is obsessed with death. She’s a vegetarian/vegan (according to which article you read) and buries all the dead lab animals in her backyard. She’s sensitive and shy, and Welby’s love interest, his attraction to her persisting through the drug. She sees life, death and happiness in a seemingly opposite way to Welby.

“The lab partner Welby is attracted to despite the drug's control is a death-obsessed vegetarian who buries all the deceased lab animals in her back yard.” (Source 1, 2001)

“Carly Street puts in a winning performance as Welby's potential girlfriend lending her a shyness and sensitivity that make sense of René's funerary proclivities.” (Source 1, 2001)

”His (Welby’s) lab partner Rene Metcalf (A death obsessed Vegan).” (Source 3, 2006)

”…and his (Welby’s) lovely lab partner (Stubel), to whom Roland is intensely attracted, but thinks he doesn’t want to be…” (Source 4, 2006)

10-Danny

Played by John Cleland (Tarragon Theatre) & Rod Peter Jr. (Waterfront Theatre)

He’s buddhist, he’s a druggie, kinda crazy and has a terrible secret.

“Welby's dope-smoking neighbour has a theory about the unity of all religions and harbours a terrible secret.” (Source 1, 2001).

“His (Welby’s) next door neighbour Danny (A Buddhist pot head who harbours a terrible secret).” (Source 3, 2006)

“…a wacko neighbour (Rod Peter, Jr.)…” (Source 4, 2006)

Story:

The story is about Dr. Welby’s interactions with other characters and their relationships.

What can be said about the story is what can be said about the characters. All the articles set you up with character concepts and leaves the story to you.

“"The Qualities of Zero" traces the experiences of neurochemist Dr. Roland Welby as he attempts to comes to terms with the death of his mother. He is a highly self-conscious genius whose hyperrational view of the world prevents him from telling or understanding jokes without explaining them. At career day at a kindergarten, Welby, still stricken with grief, strays from his topic to explain why happiness is impossible to beings who must die. His summary equation is T + EOE = PD, that is "Time plus expectation of euphoria equals perpetual disappointment". The fiasco at the school leads him to test a new drug he has developed on himself. The drug can completely block the emotional highs and lows produced by the limbic system, "happy-mad-sad land" as he calls it, thus allowing him to feel "zero" when confronting the world around him.

Madness and attempts to cope with it imbue every aspect of the play. When Welby's father died his mother became an alcoholic and opened a Christmas store to live the happiest day of the year year-round. Welby's brother Rideau is a schizophrenic obsessed with Charlemagne's cheese-consumption who decides to go off his thorazine after leaving a mental home. Welby's boss fantasizes that he is a Spanish pirate and when Welby's research proves that his life's work is worthless, he goes berserk and seeks revenge. The boss's wife and CEO of the company both work for is dangerously unhinged after divorcing her husband and throws herself at Welby. The lab partner Welby is attracted to despite the drug's control is a death-obsessed vegetarian who buries all the deceased lab animals in her back yard. Welby's dope-smoking neighbour has a theory about the unity of all religions and harbours a terrible secret. Although Welby's drug controls his emotions, it cannot protect him from those of others and by the end when his supply has been cut off he is entangled in the web his interactions with others has created.” (Source 1, 2001).

“Set in the synapses of North America's leading Neuroscientist (Roland Welby), we are taken on a scientific\dramatic lecture to ask is the pursuit of happiness even possible? The answer comes in form of a philosophical sex farce, with elements of modern dance, slapstick and tragedy. After the death of his mother, and becoming dangerously unhinged while giving a lecture in a grade four career day, Doctor Roland Welby decides to forgo the traditional methods of overcoming grief and madness by taking his own experimental drug that makes him feel absolutely nothing. Among the people Roland must deal with are Doctor Selkin (A man obsessed with becoming Spanish), his next door neighbour Danny (A Buddhist pot head who harbours a terrible secret), His boss Aurora Selkin (a cosmetic surgery fanatic) His lab partner Rene Metcalf (A death obsessed Vegan) and finally his brother Rideau (A recent exile from a mental institution). When the drug is finally removed Roland is forced to deal with the people in his life on an emotional level he was never comfortable expressing.” (Source 3, 2006)

”Richmond plays Roland, a nutty neuro-scientist who develops a serum that neutralizes emotions, a serum he regularly injects into his neck. You can see why he’d want to be able to control himself, surrounded as he is by problems and temptations: a crazy brother (Jeff Gladstone), an overwrought colleague who has it in for him (Michael Delamont), the colleague’s sexy wife, also Roland’s boss (Gina McIntosh), a wacko neighbour (Rod Peter, Jr.), and his lovely lab partner (Stubel), to whom Roland is intensely attracted, but thinks he doesn’t want to be.” (Source 4, 2006)

Set and costumes:

“The set is grey and very basic as befits the mostly institutional settings. Kessler makes good use of a digital projector to show titles for each of the scenes or "Observations" as Welby calls them. Joanne Dente's costumes are always appropriate and are especially witty for the more stereotyped characters . Given the plain set, Rick Banville's precise, inventive lighting and John Mounsteven's atmospheric sound are crucial in establishing mood and location.” (Source 1, 2001).

“Before the show begins, the projector displays significant quotations from Einstein, Santayana and Pascal all indicating the futility of Welby's experiment. The one by Einstein could be the motto for the whole play: "Whoever undertakes to set himself up as a judge of Truth and Knowledge is shipwrecked by the laughter of the gods." “ (Source 1, 2001)

“Much chaos ensues, with director Small impressively controlling the traffic and choreographing terrifically clever transitions, especially via a rotating door. The performances are all very fine, with Richmond’s lurching deadpan Roland the standout.” (Source 4, 3006)

”Qualities of Zero is a full-length play for 6 actors written by Jacob Richmond: a comedy about a neuroscientist who self-prescribes his experimental drug as he starts to become dangerously unhinged.” (Source 5)

Sources:

Source 1. (2001)

http://www.stage-door.com/Theatre/2001/Entries/2001/12/5_The_Qualities_of_Zero.html

Source 2. (2001)

https://archives.library.torontomu.ca/index.php/the-qualities-of-zero-at-tarragon-theatre-extra-space

Source 3. (2006)

https://asianpacificpost.com/article/1488-qualities-zero.html

Source 4: (2006)

https://www.vancouverplays.com/theatre/reviews_theatre/review_qualities_0_2006.shtml

Source 5: (2006)