Interactive courtroom drama puts jury in control

Daumas: Devil's Advocate, an interactive courtroom drama written and directed by Fred Azeredo, gives audiences the power to determine both the verdict and the play's ending.

Presented as part of Fringe MTL and staged in an auxiliary building of Mission Santa Cruz, the production casts roughly sixty viewers as jurors deciding the fate of Daumas, an anti-colonial lawyer accused of treason. The character is inspired by Jacques Vergès, a real-life French-Vietnamese attorney known for defending politically charged clients with confrontational legal tactics. While Vergès' historical background influenced the play's arc, the trial of Daumas itself is entirely fictional.

The set is minimal: two tables on stage representing the prosecution and defence benches, with a tall podium for the judge at centre. Once the actors enter in their judicial robes, the visual setting evokes a courtroom. Daniel Wan captures the arrogance, charisma, and provocative confidence of the fascinating defendant. Rather than relying strictly on dense legal arguments, the production weaves comedy, friendship, romance, and betrayal throughout the narrative. Prosecutor Rigault gradually transforms from a firm opponent into someone increasingly persuaded by and fascinated with Daumas' rhetoric and personality.

At the performance attended by the reviewer, the vast majority voted Daumas not guilty, followed by a startling finale. The production maintains ambiguity surrounding Daumas' alleged crime—the trial revolves around accusations of treason, yet the truth and specifics of the offence remain deliberately unclear. The show was conducted in English.