Okay, the marathon has begun. Last night marked the beginning of an 11-day Fringe odyssey where this intrepid reviewer will attempt to view —-and coherently review—-all 30 theatre offerings. Will the heat drive her mad? Will she over-dose on one man shows? Stay tuned to find out…
First on the list is the short and sweet Morning Coffee. It’s a somewhat familiar story (shades of The Notebook) about the enduring quality of love. The play contains some touching moments, as well as some light humour. However, Morning Coffee highlights a problem that is fairly common with Fringe fare in that it combines amateur actors with amateur playwrights. I have seen all three actors (Michael Taylor, Sandy Mitchell and Geoff Ball) in productions at Bedford Players’ where they have done a nice job. And I have no doubt that this little script could shine with professional actors. But the actors and play put together somehow lack the necessary polish.
On the other hand, Ed’s Story: The Dragon Chronicles is a piece of polished theatre that would shine on any stage, but is perfectly suited to the Fringe in that it requires very little in the way of set or props. It tells the true life of a young cancer patient through snippets of his journal and excerpts from interviews conducted with his friends, family and health care team after his death. Iain Sodder is captivating as Ed, the mischievous, bright “old soul” who struggles to conquer cancer and to make the world a better place. Three other actors give voice to the people around Ed, in a way that is truly marvelous to behold. Ona Archibald is Ed’s mother, as well as other nurturing characters, and she brings great dignity and depth to her roles. Schoel Strang lights up the stage as Ed’s sister and other young, bubbly characters. Paul D’Alessandro does a marvelous job as Ed’s father and as several members of the health care team who share how knowing Ed enabled them to grow as professionals and human beings. This is the kind of theatre one dreams of seeing at the Fringe: moving, memorable and beautifully written, directed and produced.
For prices, times and the complete Fringe schedule go to atlanticfringe.ca
This article appears in Sep 2-8, 2010.