The weekend sees Iqaluit Community Theatre present an original play at Inuksuk High School鈥檚 Tisi stage.

Matthew Illaszewicz wrote and directed Paradise in Purgatory, a two-hander featuring Azreer Gill as Gerald Jesup and Murielle Jassinthe as The Gatekeeper.

鈥淲hile attending Carleton University in Ottawa, I saw David Lynch鈥檚 film Lost Highway. During the night I dreamt of the Mystery Man in the film and that inspired this play,鈥� said Illaszewicz.

鈥淚 got close to putting it into production during my final year at Carleton, but that fell through and I needed to graduate so I postponed it until now, 19 years later.鈥�

The play is about Jesup, a man trapped in purgatory, and his interactions with an uncooperative Gatekeeper, who foils his attempts to leave.

Paradise in Purgatory is Illaszewicz鈥檚 directorial debut and the second play he鈥檚 written. He previously acted in Iqaluit Community Theatre鈥檚 production The Clock Struck One and You Can鈥檛 Take it With You.

Gill previously acted in You Can鈥檛 Take It with You. Jassinthe was president of Iqaluit鈥檚 Theatre Uiviit in Iqaluit from 2015 to 2018. Assistant director Travis Burke acted in The Clock Struck One and You Can鈥檛 Take it With You.

The play runs 45 minutes, without an intermission, May 31 at 8 p.m., June 1 at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m., and June 2 at 2 p.m. Admission is $10, cash only.