6 Essential Questions

6 Essential Questions tells the story of Renata as she travels to Brazil to reunite with the mother who abandoned her when she was just five years old. In Rio, Renata discovers more than she bargained for in her quest to uncover the truth of who abandoned whom. She is continually tossed about by her undead grandmother and a semi-invisible uncle as they choreograph the ultimate dance of mother and daughter, both of whom must confront their dreams before they can ever attempt to confront each other. Imaginations run wild in this strangely beautiful and funny story loosely based on Uppal’s critically acclaimed memoir, Projection: Encounters with My Runaway Mother, a finalist for both the Hilary Weston Writers’ Trust Prize for Nonfiction and the Governor General’s Literary Award for Non-Fiction.

AUTHOR

Priscila Uppal

Dubbed by Time Out London as “Canada’s coolest poet,” Priscila Uppal was also a playwright, essayist, and fiction writer. Among her publications are ten collections of poetry, including Sabotage, Traumatology, and Ontological Necessities (Griffin Prize finalist); the novels The Divine Economy of Salvation and To Whom It May Concern; and the memoir Projection: Encounters with My Runaway Mother. Her works have been published internationally and translated into many languages. 6 Essential Questions is Priscila’s first play. Priscila passed away in 2018.

Reviews

“A surreal, tango-drenched adventure through time and space . . . incredibly funny. The dialogue dances with sharp wit that reads like snappy poetry. Funny, shocking, touching, and deeply humanizing, this play deals with a delicate and difficult notion—maternal rejection—with humor, brutal honesty and steely nerve . . . while simultaneously taking the audience on a tour of the human heart, with all its frailties and all of its resilience.”

– Gesilayefa Azorbo, Cadence Canada

“[A] riotous Rio Carnival: it’s raucous, in your face, often entertaining.”

– Jon Kaplan, NOW Magazine

“[A] riveting and poetic theatrical experience.”

– Lisa McKeown, The Charlebois Post