Summary
The conflict stems from the husband's resentment of his wife's absorption in her business career. The pair's acting is nothing to write home about, especially Schultz's. And the scene involving a pre-taped voice as a marriage counsellor gives the impression they couldn't afford a third actor.
Although Improvision isn't a trio here (they're minus lovable, literate beanpole Ed Cuddy?) fringers still love to watch the duo make fools of themselves as they submit to the mercy of audiences for scene ideas. It's pure magic how they turn obscure suggestions like "Tom Cruise as a Hobbit" and "Japanese game show" into flawless unscripted scenes.The play is simultaneously a grimmer yet more optimistic variant on Of Mice and Men. But this production doesn't meaningfully update Steinbeck's George-and-Lenny dynamic, although [Delf Gravert] and especially [Andrew Cecon] do solid work. And [Andrea Houssin] can't quite integrate Leain's contradictory qualities: her capriciousness, her need, her generosity, her selfishness, her inability to articulate, and her out-of-the-blue insight. I wonder if any actor could. HHHSee the full content of this document
Extract
Western Fringe
GOOD BAD UGLY
FEMMENNONITESaucy Gal ProductionsMTC Up the Alley, (Venue 2) Until July 30Local fringe veteran Leigh-Anne Kehler deftly takes us inside the confused head of 17-year-old Grace, who loves Bon Jovi and classmate Derek Letkeman, and hates her parents and the Mennonite community that's suffocating her adventurous spirit.In this remarkably well-written and well-acted solo show, Kehler pokes fun at the Mennonite faith and its contradictions, satirizing the hypocrisies of a small religious community. She also crafts some hilarious sketches that illustrate the trials of being a teenager who questions the rules.But beyond the comedic surface, Kehler digs deeper into her character and shows the complexity of this love-hate feeling we a...See the full content of this document
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