Production for the new season of The Handmaid’s Tale is taking place at Kelly Library and concerns are beginning to rise. Margaret Atwood, author of the original Handmaid’s Tale and a UofT alum and Toronto resident herself, claims that “it’s the perfect setting for the bleak dystopian world” of her novel. But critics have deemed that shooting in such a nightmarish location is simply going too far.
Three actors have required intense counselling after spending a full 37 minutes within the walls of Kelly, overwhelmed by the dingy fluorescent lights and endless brown bookshelves. Several cast members have also suffered from heat stroke due to the suffocating warmth of the hallways.
One actress stepped forward under the condition of anonymity, saying that the atmosphere of Kelly is far too upsetting for the contents of the show:
“We’re trying to tell a compelling story here, not send our viewers into a deep depression with the harrowing visuals of the set. We are going to ruin some lives.”
Should the showrunners choose to continue filming at Kelly, this season of Handmaid’s Tale will surely be one to avoid – The Boundary suggests taking a mental health break from the show by doing some nice, relaxing hours of homework.
Photo Credit: Keah Sharma