Dead in the Water

Ruth Alexander delivers a one-woman tour de force in Dead in the Water. It’s a show that sneaks up on you—by the end, it got me good.

The performance charts highs, lows, and more than one rock bottom, reminding us that the clock ticks for us all. A clever use of a familiar riff ties the narrative together, though it will strike a deeper chord with some audiences than others.

The piano and singing are integrated seamlessly throughout, never gimmicky—always purposeful. Arriving for a late-night show felt especially fitting, as the cabaret-style setting evoked a smoky piano lounge: equal parts melancholy and magnetic.

This is storytelling that knows when to break your heart and when to soothe it with a chord. A must-see!

A wonderful show about the messy reality of being a woman and managing your emotions and connections to the world around you while surrounded by the expectations of your community and your biological clock. The music, the blink-and-you'll-miss them sound and light cues, Ruth's magnetic stage presence: all these combine to create a show about empathy and a woman's struggle to be seen.

Opening Pandora’s Box

Reminiscent of Bridget Jones and Fleabag, Amanda Bridge (Ruth Alexander) has an entire lifetime of disaster, comedy, and romance to share. This one-woman musical is, without a doubt, one of my favourite productions at the Fringe this year. When I walked into the theater, I did not expect much from this show. Surprisingly, I was slapped in the face with one woman’s heartbreaking and witty story.

The audience follows Amanda Bridge as she navigates the ups and downs of her life across Europe. After having her tarot cards read, she embarks on a search for her one true love. On the way, she experiences multiple failed relationships and not-so-successful gigs as a pianist. She tries picking up the pieces of her miserable life together, but plummets to her end in the water.

In this heart-rending and scintillating production, Alexander clearly displays the exemplary level of talent and craft she has. From the second Alexander stepped on stage, you could tell her performance would shine just as bright as her sparkly silver blazer. In a 75-minute show, it is easy to lose track of the story as an audience member. However, Alexander’s storytelling and voice are extremely coherent and engaging. It feels as if you were experiencing the same moments with Amanda Bridge. Watching Alexander sing, act, and play the piano really makes you wonder: what can’t this woman do? Her voice is exquisite when she sings and when she smoothly changes from one character to another. Her voice heightens the emotional depth of every song. In particular, the first part of the song during the wedding scene was so touching it made couples in the audience give each other loving glances. There are not enough words to describe the perfection that is this production. This show is definitely one to remember.

I saw a production of Dead in the Water last year. I was excited to see that Ruth Alexander has brought this to the Fringe. The story is compelling, Ruth owns the stage. She transitions through time seamlessly. We witness the charachter's struggles to balance work and romance.... navigating the murkey waters of life as a traveling singer/performer and owning a cat! Such a compelling story with a mind-blowing end. Support a local artist and see a world-class performance, go see this beautiful one-woman show.

Don’t walk, run to see this one woman show! Ruth is a masterful storyteller who will have you crying with laughter and heartbreak. Her multiple talents shine in this show; singing, piano playing, and seamlessly acting out the various folks that cross paths with the tragic main character. You won’t be disappointed!