The Astros

I think this show has excellent bones but isn't quite there yet. The performers were excellent and it has all the makings of a very memorable, intriguing show.

There were certain things I could see it was going for that it reached for but never quite got there, the main one being the fact that the machismo male characters are all played by women (and I definitely jumped when That One Character entered because it was so jarring). I think to really drive this home, more emphasis on the whole "locker room talk" about how men like this see women was warranted, especially in the wake of multiple hockey team assault scandals in our media lately.

I did find the Scott/Tyler storyline especially well done, though. I think if you grew up in small town Ontario, you know a Scott. Or several.

This production feels like a university show in the best sense as you can see raw talent and a lot of potential on stage. There are several standout performances, and some of the dialogue is genuinely compelling.

Where I think the show could grow is in its overall focus and emotional journey. I found myself wanting a clearer central message and a character whose arc I could really invest in. While the play explores interesting ideas such as small town hockey culture, the end of an athletic career, and fighting as a source of identity or purpose; it felt like there were too many themes competing for attention. As a result, I left unsure of what the show ultimately wanted me to take away.

With a stronger throughline and more defined character growth, I think these powerful moments could come together into a much more impactful and memorable experience. The talent is clearly there, and refining the narrative focus would allow it to shine even more.

A tight and effective script (Brianna Russell) gets a tight and stylish staging (Catie Thorne) from Sheep's Clothing as Metamorphosis Theatre Company at the Michael Young Theatre. An (almost) all-female cast explores the dynamics inside the temple of masculinity -- a small-town hockey dressing room before, during and after the crucial game. And they bring it off; it takes very little time to get used to the soprano voices, and the uniformly excellent members of the team (mostly senior BFA students from TMU) make every tense or funny moment count. Violence is never far away. Emma Cuzzocrea (as ticking time bomb Scott) is particularly terrific! Go!

There are some extremely talented actors in this terse locker room drama. The conceit of having femme/non-binary actors play teenage male hockey players was initially lightly entertaining, and became invisible as the characters developed. The writing was solid, although I'm not certain if there was meant to be a moral to this story. Really though, it was the intense performances that carried this one.

The Astros is a fully-realized play with something to say. It’s the sort of show that makes you feel clever for having found it in the Fringe program because you are so glad you saw it.

The (mainly) non-male cast highlighted the banal toxicity of the locker room banter (or what passes for banter in a locker room), nicely enhanced by the contrast with the sole male-presenting character.

The suspense builds at a perfect pace and the resolution could easily have been predictable, but took a different track. It was moving and believable.

All the performances were strong, but none of my party could take our eyes off Emma Cuzzocrea. Their Scott captured our sympathy while we waited in trepidation for them to explode.

Tyler’s final scene was terrific, but the one change I’d suggest in the script is to work just a bit more on that character’s internal consistency. Their hesitation made sense, but the way it was portrayed (why carry the others’ bags?) did not always seem like a perfect fit. No notes for the costume, lighting and set design. Bravo.