CUSP
Talented cast and well crafted production, great laughs and feels all the way through. Definitely recommend, I want to see more of this one!
Veteran #TheaTO artist Tanya Rintoul directs 8 new George Brown alums adapting Chekov's Uncle Vanya. There's some clever staging (a long cottage table cum stage) & a grounded Sophie(Sonya), but it's a 60min preview of a 90+ min show.
Well written and acted. Fun comedy bits. Sharply executed lighting effects. Nice ending.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ CUSP is, so far, my #1 pick of the Toronto Fringe Festival!
I wasn't quite sure what to expect going in, but I came away absolutely loving this production. The writing is intelligent and engaging, the staging is inventive and the performances are excellent. In fact, the overall quality is so good that I almost felt like I was watching a production that could have come from a great smaller theatre company like Crow's Theatre.
One of my favourite moments comes at the beginning. The characters introduce things about themselves while playing cards in a wonderfully original and creative sequence that immediately draws the audience into their world. It is unlike anything I've seen before and sets the tone for the rest of the play.
My only criticism is that I wanted more. At just about an hour, the Fringe format doesn't give the story enough room to fully expand its wings. The richness of the characters and their relationships deserves a longer script, and the ending arrives rather abruptly, leaving me wanting a more fully realized conclusion.
That said, this is a great piece of theatre with tremendous potential. I sincerely hope the creators continue to develop it beyond Fringe. With an expanded script and a more fulsome ending, I believe CUSP has all the ingredients to become a professional production.
Don't miss this one. It is thoughtful, beautifully crafted and well performed. For me, CUSP is a standout production at this year's Toronto Fringe Festival.
Great acting and writing. It was like a brief return to The Big Chill (but no funeral). Young actors who are really talented, huge laughs in the beginning, and the most incredible card-game choreography. Honestly, it is worth it just to see that part! Definitely recommend.