Butter and a duffel bag: Full Circle Theatre presents Power Play
By Leigh Patrick, June 30 2026—
Amid the surging popularity of sports romance, Full Circle Theatre answers the call for more lovable hockey players pining over independent women with their new production, Power Play.
Directed by Danielle Baker, the show is a modern retelling of Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew, set in a hockey locker room.
A minimalist set of white half-walls and ice-cold lighting mimics the feeling of being on the rink, while small locker cubbies and bare benches bring the world of the Padua Pythons to life. With the cast sporting crisp jerseys and padded gear, the production beautifully evokes the look and energy of a real hockey team while diving into the thorny boundaries of sports media representation, the objectification of athletes and the cover-ups used to mask systemic issues.
Led by Geneviève Dale as Kate, with Benjamin Kenneth Jones playing opposite her as Pete Ruff, the pair’s on-stage chemistry hooks the audience from their very first meeting on the ice.
The show follows Kate, head of the media department for the Padua Pythons, who is handed the impossible task of rehabilitating the image of hockey’s resident bad boy, Pete Ruff. After an accidental incident of “too-close contact” is seen by quirky reporter Finley (played by Richelle Ho), the two begin fake dating for the sake of Pete’s career. Meanwhile, Kate’s sister Bianca (played by Bailey Wright) goes on a mission to test each of the team’s eligible players to find her perfect match — in direct defiance of her mother’s (played by Teresa Byrne) strict policy against dating the athletes.
Through witty banter and sharp social commentary, the narrative is punctuated by a chorus of podcast hosts, journalists and teenage fans (played by Anna Shepard and Milton Joseph), speculating on Pete’s and Kate’s personal lives.
As the two make public appearances together and spend late nights alone in her office, they fall deeper into their own lies.
The production’s script is quick and quotable, capturing the nostalgic atmosphere of an early-2000s romantic comedy.
This tone is matched by the chaotic hijinks of Bianca’s matchmaking mission and anchored by a standout monologue from Kate, who fiercely declares she isn’t a “pad of butter” to be softened up by a guy who threw his duffel bag at her. It’s a moment that hilariously births the ‘BookTok-worthy’ pet names “Butter” and “Duffel Bag.”
Much of that early-2000s energy comes from chemistry between the leads, but it also relies on the secondary romances and locker-room dynamics. Bianca’s matchmaking quest homes in on the always-smiling sweetheart, Luc Normand (played by Ben Gaudet), whose performance balances the intense hate-to-love path of Kate and Pete with his own innocence and naivety. The escalating relationship between Bianca and Luc provides an excellent foil to the main plot’s fake dating stakes.
Meanwhile, the production finds its ultimate comedic relief in the Pythons’ captain and goalie duo: Tensey (played by Braedan Hark) and Julian (played by Nick Wensrich). Balancing stereotypical hockey-guy denseness and astute observations, the two take turns cracking jokes at the leads’ expense and completely misreading the room. Delivering rapid-fire one-liners that keep the audience gasping for air, their effortless, chaotic chemistry keeps the story moving at a breakneck pace and regularly steals the spotlight.
Although filled with disguises, favoured romance tropes, declarations of love and heartwarming character beats, the production grounds its narrative with an unexpected heart by tackling a deeply entrenched cultural reality. It zeroes in on the dark side of hockey culture — covering up sexual violence and protecting favoured players — culminating in the sobering revelation that “one violent man is containable. A culture problem isn’t.”
Yet, even while navigating these heavy, essential discussions, the show maintains a remarkably cozy and accessible tone. It is a brilliant testament to the shared vision of the actors, director and the show’s playwright, Erin Weir.
PowerPlay is running at the West Village Theatre in Calgary until July 4, with a weekend matinee at 2:00 p.m. and evening performances at 7:30 p.m. Regular tickets are available at humanitix.com for a student discount of $25 and same-day rush tickets sell for $10.