A new theatrical production in Toronto has drawn sharp criticism from Financial Post columnist Terence Corcoran, who has given it a blunt review. The play, titled 'Rogers v. Rogers,' opened last week at Toronto's Crow's Theatre and is a satirical work based on the real-life corporate saga of Rogers Communications' $26-billion battle to acquire Shaw Communications.
A Satirical Take on a Corporate Saga
The play is presented as a fictionalized satire inspired by the events documented by Globe and Mail journalist Alexandra Posadzki in her bestselling book of the same name. The book subtitled 'The Battle for Control of Canada’s Telecom Empire,' chronicles the two-year-long takeover struggle. The executive team at Crow's Theatre notes that for the stage, facts have been 'nudged,' conversations 'invented,' and reality 'adjusted' to serve the fictional narrative crafted by playwright Michael Healey.
Veteran Canadian actor Tom Rooney performs a solo tour de force, portraying more than a dozen characters during a 90-minute performance set around a boardroom table. He shifts between caricatures of the Rogers family, including founder Ted, his wife Loretta, son Edward (the current CEO), and daughter Martha, depicting their internal and external battles for control.
Critique: From Boring Saga to Profane Satire
Corcoran argues that the real-life Rogers family corporate disputes, often compared to the HBO series 'Succession,' are fundamentally 'a boring story filled with complicated personalities.' He suggests playwright Michael Healey attempts to overcome this by injecting heavy use of profanity for comedic effect, a stark contrast to the source material where such language appears only once.
The columnist observes that the play's characters, both family members and external executives, are largely portrayed as 'unworthy corporate players' constantly gaming the system for personal gain. The narrative takes aim at capitalism, corporations, and those who wield power within the economic system.
The Unlikely Hero: Canada's Competition Commissioner
Despite its critical portrayal of most figures involved, the play presents a clear hero: Matthew Boswell, Canada's Commissioner of Competition. Corcoran notes this 'glorification' of the competition chief as a central element of the production's perspective. Boswell's office played a pivotal role in the regulatory review of the historic telecom merger, which was finalized in 2023 after significant divestitures and conditions.
The play's debut adds a cultural footnote to one of the most significant business stories in recent Canadian history, filtering the high-stakes world of telecom, finance, and regulation through the lens of contemporary satirical theatre.
