Cliona's Wave: A New Musical

FANTASTIC music! Beautiful costumes. Such a versatile and creative use of props! The songs were a perfect mix of lively and haunting. The dancing was on POINT, and the choreography sublime.

Yellow Flag: The performers were often drowned out by the band. Mainly when they were singing an individual piece. Otherwise, it wasn’t a problem.

The story was compelling, and it was a wonderful balance of hilarious, heartwarming, and heart wrenching. You really hit the trifecta.

The duet between the two main characters by the water was so chilling. I wish I had a recording of it because I would play it over and over and over again.

The solo by the character that had written a song for the woman he has a crush on was so good!!! Such pure vocals.

I hope to hear and see all of you again, no matter what production it is.

An ambitious attempt. The performers gave their all. Unfortunately singers could be drowned out by the band. The songs were not adjusted for the range of the singers, which sometimes left them grasping for notes out of their range. The actors could give an emotional performance with decent accents, but the writing could give whiplash as to which century they were meant to be speaking in.

A very impressive show produced by emerging artists coming out of MacEwan's new Music Theatre Performance BFA program! The harmonies are absolutely breathtaking, the composition and musical direction are strong, and the choreography was well thought out and executed extremely well. Self producing an original musical at this scale is not easy and the level of work put into this production is incredible.

The ensemble are fully committed to their characters and blend into each other well while also standing out individually, and Kohen Foley and Katie Moran as the leads have excellent chemistry together. The costumes are beautiful, and the set is simple while still evoking the charm of a small town in Ireland.

That being said, there are a couple elements of the production that detract from the whole. Because I saw it on opening night, however, I feel some things will sort themselves out once the show settles in fully.

The live band breathes life into the score, but the lack of mics combined with the (admittedly impressive) Irish accents means that the band drowns out most of the intricacies of the lyrics. When the chorus sings at full strength and matches the band's volume it is perfect, but any solo lines are near impossible to hear with any clarity. If I saw it again, I would sit closer to the stage to try and catch more of Ethan Bintu-Watt's carefully crafted lyrics.

Additionally, this is the only Fringe show I have ever been to or heard of that has an intermission. A break in the story after only 30 minutes confused both myself and people around me. I also feel that the intermission also does a disservice to the story as it's self contained enough that the audience doesn't require a break; this could absolutely stand on its own as a one-act musical. Further development could warrant a break into two acts, but at this stage it doesn't need it.

This show has enormous potential, and I would absolutely recommend seeing the show again to see this fantastic group of artists explore and discover this beautiful story night after night.

Love in Water, Life as Waves

Young love; a concept so culturally synonymous with misfortune and tragedy, with fleeting beauty. From Greek mythology’s Orpheus and Eurydice to Shakespear’s Romeo and Juliet, not a soul can doubt this eternal story of mystical love and misery has lived and will live forever in the hearts of playwrights and enjoyers. Joining this famed roster from within our very own Edmonton, Alberta is the heart-wrenching musical Cliona’s Wave, written by Ethan Bintu-Watt and directed by Ocean Pettigrew. Debuting at this year’s Fringe, this classic yet innovative tale incorporates Celtic lore and Irish pub life with the stories of old, forging something truly unique.

Based on the Irish tale of Cliodhna, the goddess of love, and the tragic end of her relationship with her mortal lover Ciabhan at the hands of the sea god, Cliona’s Wave encapsulates all the beauty and devastation love may lead. Following the sarcastic yet timid baker Niall, played by Kohen Foley, and his bolder, more outgoing pub-band lead singer counterpart Saorsie, played by Katie Moran, as they navigate blooming love and consequence, this musical opens on an incredibly endearing note. From pushy friends to bar ballads, the entire first act of Cliona’s Wave will have you completely endeared to the entire cast, barring the aggressively antagonistic dock owner Padraig, played by Zakary Matsuba, who unfortunately happens to be Saorsie’s father. Tensions regarding Saorsie’s freedom culminate into an outburst of anger, fear, and guilt, barrelling the previously heartwarming story towards the ultimate, doomed end of all young romance in theater.

Firstly, I must applaud the incredible work of Ethan Bintu-Watt. From gorgeous harmonies within the band and ensemble to quippy lines that had the entire audience laughing in seconds, Bintu-Watt’s talent for all things musical theater deserves an incredible applause. I especially loved the incorporation of Gaelic into a few of the musical’s songs as well as the inclusion of Irish pub classics. Of course, this production could not be possible without the performers on stage either. A few standouts for me were the pub band trio of Katie Moran, Ashlin Turcotte, and Autumn Chugg, whose tight and well practiced harmonies throughout the musical did not go unnoticed. Their song Molly Malone had my jaw on the floor from their musical precision. Additionally, the duo of Niall and his lazy, yet well meaning best friend Charles, played by Malachi Short, had incredible stage chemistry on stage, especially shining through in Friend Song.

Besides the cast, the crew was incredible as well. The scenic design by Bintu-Watt was simplistic yet effective, using various wooden planks as docks, stages, and cliffs-- whatever the scene called for. Quinn Woodruff’s lighting design was no less innovative, using the lighting to both immerse the viewer and invoke feeling as the story called for either. One of my favourite moments in the show was the scene in which Niall and Saorsie shared a moment atop a cliff overlooking the Irish coast, a moment that was most definitely heightened by the use of a spotlight to mimic a lighthouse’s beam. Not only did this one choice add to the atmosphere, but also the deeper message of the musical.

The love, dedication, and talent that went into this production is obvious; nothing but the labour of love could produce such an artistic, timeless musical. If you have the chance to watch it, I highly encourage you do; whether you stay for the jokes or the heartbreak, I promise you will love it-- and when you leave, look at those you love knowing that life is fleeting as the ocean, but love is eternal.