Within the new Seniors’ Performing Lab play Previous Mule, Dot is a senior who thinks she’s within the know with regards to scams – till she makes a good friend on-line who leads to an emergency and wishes money quick.
Calgary actor Denise Vaile performs the function of Pearl who has managed to win over Dot’s belief.
“Pearl is a scammer. She most likely isn’t even a lady. She might be something. Might be a person abroad,” mentioned Vaile at a rehearsal for the play on the College of Calgary on Saturday.
In actual life, Vaile is aware of what it’s wish to be deceived.
“I’m too trusting. You suppose that’s purported to be a benefit of your character however sadly you may’t be too trusting.
“I feel I’m already fairly conscious of those form of issues which can be happening. I used to be truly scammed myself however right here’s the humorous half – by a good friend,” Vaile mentioned.
“The unhappy factor is, I feel that scamming has turn out to be an trade. Similar to medication,”
The Seniors’ Performing Lab is exploring points surrounding belief with regards to each strangers and relations and the way essential it’s for seniors to have individuals to show to to get a second opinion.
Get the most recent Nationwide information.
Despatched to your electronic mail, daily.
“There have to be an excellent household relationship. When the household relationship is superb, seniors can depend upon their households,” mentioned Pat Chan, director of the play.
Actor Jonathan Macfarland described how he got here very near falling for a slick scammer over the cellphone when he was about to offer his bank card data.
“All of a sudden it hits me. It is a rip-off! I mentioned I’m not doing this anymore. I put the cellphone down. You suppose it gained’t occur to you however it will probably. That’s the scary factor,” Macfarland mentioned.
“There’s fixed scamming. It occurs to me virtually daily. I get cellphone calls, asking for my bank card quantity, there’s an issue with the pc or there’s a false cost on my bank card,” Mcfarland mentioned.
After the Jan. 27 performances of the play, the Seniors’ Performing Lab will likely be internet hosting a panel of native consultants on seniors and fraud.
The panel will include representatives from the Calgary Police Service, the Alberta Securities Fee, the Take Care, Be Conscious program on the Calgary Seniors’ Useful resource Society and the Higher Enterprise Bureau.
“You possibly can have interaction with anybody however you’re within the driver’s seat,” mentioned Hilary McMeekin, Alberta Securities Fee Director of Communications & Investor Training.
Associated Information
-
![]()
Calgary seniors produce play on necessary medical help in dying to deal with rising well being care prices
-
![]()
2 charged with fraud after ‘grandparent scams’ in Calgary, Okotoks: RCMP
“If somebody is pressuring you about an funding alternative whether or not it’s at your door or by way of electronic mail, you may push again. Simply because they’re pressuring, you may take a second to take a breath and say I would like to consider this. I have to do my analysis,” McMeekin mentioned.
Each the actors and the Alberta Securities Fee hope that making the subject extra approachable on stage will encourage real-life victims to talk out.
“The extra we discuss it – the extra it’s part of on a regular basis life and the extra it hopefully goes reported so we are able to take motion. I’m thrilled about this Previous Mule alternative,”
McMeekin mentioned scams and funding fraud go vastly underreported due to embarrassment or concern of speaking about it.
“We are able to discuss it in additional approachable methods like by means of performs and panel discussions. I hope that it takes away that concern of speaking about it and reaching out to businesses like ours or legislation enforcement our bodies,” McMeekin mentioned.
Previous Mule is written by Edmonton playwright Nicole Moeller and produced by Louise Day.
“At Seniors’ Performing Lab Society, we create authentic theatre that displays the present points going through seniors of at this time. The tales we inform are tales we consider seniors and their households needs to be speaking about,” Day mentioned.
The play will run for five exhibits solely at cSpace Studio Theatre at 1721 29 Ave S.W. from Jan. 25-28.
© 2024 International Information, a division of Corus Leisure Inc.
