There’s romance and comedy aplenty in Michael Melski’s Hockey Mom, Hockey Dad, but this two-hander ends up being more than just a pleasing “romantic comedy”. There’s real depth to the story of a couple of single parents who connect at the local rink (very local for the Halifax crowd, as this production is set on Crosby’s Cole Harbour ice). Kevin Kincaid plays Teddy, a bellowing blue-collar dad with a poet’s eye who is smitten by Donna, a guarded, damaged soul played by Heather Rankin. Kincaid balances Teddy’s charm and obnoxious qualities beautifully, and Rankin is a joy to watch as Donna slowly opens herself to the terrifying possibility of letting a man into her life. The play is thought-provoking in its exploration of the good and bad in hockey culture, and will be enjoyed by hockey fans and non-fans alike.
This article appears in Oct 17-23, 2013.