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The fine art of lying

Jason Mireau wants you to meet Henry, a compulsive liar.Henry is a self-confessed fabricator who rambles on about his life in a one-man play called Here Lies Henry, by Canadian playwright Daniel MacIvor.
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Jason Mireau as Henry

Jason Mireau wants you to meet Henry, a compulsive liar.

Henry is a self-confessed fabricator who rambles on about his life in a one-man play called Here Lies Henry, by Canadian playwright Daniel MacIvor.

Among the things Henry (played by Mireau) will tell you when the comic drama runs next Friday and Saturday, Aug. 27 and 28, at The Matchbox in Red Deer is that he plays the violin, he’s a star on the rugby field and he’s a member of the Canadian bowling team.

Are you impressed yet? Henry, no doubt, hopes you are — which resonates with Mireau, who believes the desire to exaggerate our achievements is a symptom of our society.

“People have a need to impress other people — or at least make other people feel we are interesting,” said the recent Lindsay Thurber Comprehensive High School graduate, who began his journey as Henry in his Grade 12 theatre class.

Mireau delivered a 20-minute excerpt of the play as a monologue, first for his classmates, then as a public performance at a local cabaret.

“Henry’s been on my mind ever since,” said Mireau, who felt the need to flesh out the character more by performing the rest of the 75-minute play, which has been described as tragic, funny and deeply moving.

Whether Henry is truthful or not, his discussion of life and love in this independent production reveals some things about the art of lying and the nature of truth.

MacIvor is considered one of Canada’s leading playwrights, perhaps best known for the play Marion Bridge. He has also written Never Swim Alone, This is a Play, Monster, You are Here, Cul-de-sac and A Beautiful View. Five of MacIvor’s plays were published as I Still Love You in 2006, and the collection won MacIvor a coveted Governor General’s Award for Drama.

Mireau’s production of Here Lies Henry will be his swan song in Red Deer, since he’s heading off to study at the Vancouver Film School at the end of the month.

Here Lies Henry is on at 8 p.m. Doors open at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $10 at the door or by calling 403-597-0136.

lmichelin@www.reddeeradvocate.com