The End is Just the Beginning in Bottle Tree’s ‘The Death of Me’
Not everyone gets a second chance at life after death, but Bottle Tree Productions’ The Death of Me gives audiences a glimpse at the possibility. As part of Bottle Tree’s Studio Series—a collection of shows under 90 minutes staged in their performance space—The Death of Me, written by Canadian playwright Norm Foster, follows John (Martin Fobert), a kind, average man who unexpectedly arrives in heaven, shocked to receive news from the Angel of Death (Julia Moore) that he has died. When the pair strike a deal and John returns to Earth, he finds himself in a series of comedic interactions with the people from his past, but ultimately comes to terms with the possibilities of changing his own fate.
Bottle Tree’s studio has little space for actors and audiences, however they always find creative forms of staging and design choices to best suit the environment. The Death of Me was no exception. The design for the show (Anne Marie Mortensen) was simple, but effective: the stage space was divided up into three distinct locations with set pieces and props ensuring audiences understood the shifts from scene to scene. Director Bill Morrow provided audiences with clear views of the actors throughout, which can be difficult when there are multiple actors onstage at once in a small environment.
While this style of show was well-suited to Bottle Tree, the script itself was not my favourite. Although I love to see Canadian works onstage for Kingston audiences, I found that the characters in this play were very one-note, understandable in comedies like this one. However, in cases such as John’s ex-fiancee Cassie (Jennifer Verardi), this lack of depth created potential for offense or confusion. Cassie was shown to be extremely paranoid in the scene she shared with John, and as the pair talked, Foster’s script tried to prompt audiences to laugh at her.
Rather than breaking into boisterous laughter, the audience remained mostly quiet instead. I found myself thinking that this character read as an outdated caricature of someone who may be struggling with their mental health, rather than an ex-partner to laugh at for reasons related to a failed relationship. Some of this concern may have been heightened by certain actors’ performances, however, I feel that the primary source of confusion here lies in the script, which the company is unable to change. It is however something to be aware of as an audience member.
This cast was small but mighty, and otherwise their performances made the show funny and upbeat all around. Fobert leaned into John’s “nice guy” personality throughout the comedic scenes, and his version of the character felt like watching a people-pleasing child in an adult’s shoes. His mannerisms and vocal choices, while sometimes repetitive, helped convey the style and tone of the comedy in the show to the audience from the beginning. Moore’s Angel of Death was all sass and throwaway comedic gestures, and she and Fobert received many laughs in their opening scene together. Verardi’s interpretation of Cassie has some writing-related issues (as mentioned), but she did an excellent job at working with what the script gave her, comedy-wise. Harold Potter was outlandishly funny as the Doctor: he and Fobert had some of the most comedic conversations in the show, constantly caught in back and forth conversations that highlighted the grandiose nature of a doctor who is truly only in it for the wrong reasons.
The Death of Me was short and sweet, and although the writing was a bit confusing and jumbled, particularly near the end, the performers took it in stride. Everyone involved in the production clearly worked to the best of their ability to make it worth the audience’s while. The Death of Me is an amusing peek into the mysterious beyond, full of laughs and sure to bring a smile to one’s face as it relishes in the chaos that comes with life after death.
‘The Death of Me’ was presented by Bottle Tree Productions, and ran at the Bottle Tree Studio until November 1st, 2026. More information can be found here.
