A true Theospian
The rise, fall and (almost) redemption of Theoren Fleury made for great human drama. Now it looks like it may make for actual theatre.
Alberta Theatre Projects, one of Calgary’s premiere theatre companies, is workshopping a one-man play based on the turbulent life of the former Flames great, who battled sexual abuse, alcoholism, drug addiction and a diminutive body to nevertheless become one of the most successful and electifying players of his era.
The play was written by Kirstie McLellan Day, the ghost-writer who “co-wrote” Theo’s autobiography that came out last year – right around the time he was attempting a (failed) comeback with the Flames. Conveniently, this play project has come up a couple of months ahead of the publication of the paperback version of the book; say what you like about little Theo, but he’s got a knack for promotion.
Day, by the way, is the wife of Larry Day, a longtime Calgary TV producer and personality who, among other things, hosts the Flames This Week television show carried on Sportsnet West. It’s all one cozy little hockey town in Calgary, isn’t it?
Having read the autobiography, I can tell you that when a guy comes off as an arrogant little prick even when he’s telling his own story, he really must be one. You don’t end up liking this guy by the end of the book, though you have to admire his ability to play as well as he did, as stoned as he often was.
Still, he was always a thrill to watch, and played the game with the kind of passion and anger that the Flames have been lacking the past few years. And even at 41 years old, I still think he would look good in a Flames uniform; on a team that was a couple of wins away from making the playoffs and was killed by a lack of scoring, he’s a proven scorer who showed last pre-season that he still had the touch. At very least, he might have added a few power-play and shootout goals that would have been the difference last season between making the playoffs, and, well, doing what they did.
Always being more bold than smart, Theo originally planned to act in the play himself. Thankfully, he’s decided against that, and a casting call has gone out to professional actors to play the part. (I wonder if Sean Penn would be interested in doing a little local Calgary theatre?)