Canadian Theatre Encyclopedia
Battering Ram
Drama in two acts by David Freeman first produced at Factory Theatre Lab, Toronto, 1972, directed by Victor Sutton. It subsequently played at Tarragon Theatre in 1973 (directed by Bill Glassco), across the country, and in the United States.
Battering Ram is a disturbing play about a woman who provides a home for a man with cerebral palsy. The woman and her daughter, both sexually frustrated, attempt to find a remedy for their needs in a relationship with the young man, who in turn exploits them.
A quintessential Freeman work, it shows, like his other works (Creeps and You're Going to be Alright, Jamie Boy) a deep mistrust for "kindness" and a constant questioning of the agendas guiding certain acts of so-called charity.
Commentary by Gaetan Charlebois
Last updated 2020-03-23
Since October 2002, Athabasca University has hosted the web site, with an editorial board of theatre scholars from across Canada.
To submit an entry, please consult the guidelines for submissions.
Email your submission to: Anne Nothof, Professor Emerita, Athabasca University.
The Encyclopedia collects and disseminates information on plays, playwrights and theatre practitioners. It does not respond to requests for information, auditions, bookings, or tickets.
The Canadian Theatre Encyclopedia web site was originally conceived and developed in 1996 by Gaetan Charlebois—theatre critic, playwright, and actor.
