Andrew Wright
I enjoyed this show. It handled religion, science and politics well in this deep-future drama. Comedy moments were most welcome, given the darker topic elements, and the props and set dressing (no spoilers here!) were very well executed. However, I do admit being left with the feeling that things could have been delivered with a tighter script with a little more punch. Despite that, it's well worth a watch and will leave you thinking about the human condition.
This show does a very good job of building thriller tension on a sparsely decorated stage in a way that was quite impressive and completely unexpected. With the exception of a few off-stage voices, Passed Down is a one-woman show. Monique Danielle's performance is extremely engaging as she deftly takes the audience on an emotional rollercoaster, eventually plunging them into depths where all your hairs will stand on end.
Expect to leave this show feeling just a little unformattable - and needing to watch something else before you go to bed!
Balance circus elements from traditional Japanese artforms were beautifully woven into personal recollections of Kimiko's own family and their persecution as Japanese Canadians during the Second World War. Education is always best accompanied by entertainment, and Kimiko's graceful and gravity-defying performance was mesmerising and memorable.
Who doesn't like a bagpipe and drum band? Great music. My only criticism is that the spoken elements required you to be on one side of the performance only, as there was only on speaker and it wasn't very powerful. The story of the Edmonton Police Band working it's way to Ground Zero was lost on most as a result of that.
Essentially a monologue for God offstage (who is a different performer each show), Leah Pritchard was left on stage all alone to simply react. The writing for God was good for sure, but a whole show of non-verbal reactions rest entirely on the performer - and Leah's performance did not disappoint in any way. Simply amazing!
An impeccably written blend of the Princess Diarist, Star Wars quotes, and local Halifax art community references to make all locals roll in the aisles, while still providing many, many laughs for those From Away. The performances further elevated the material and the comic timing was excellent all around!
A wonderful blend of magic, comedy and parody. Even when I was pulled on stage, there were things I just can't explain. 110% recommend for kids and adult alike!