"Stop Kiss", written by Diana Son, is a play from the late 90's which explores the events leading up to, and following, a violent hate crime which leaves one of the victims in a coma. It is an incredibly well-written play, which alternates between being sweet and being heartbreaking. The characters, and their relationships, are well developed and the dialogue flows with a natural pace.

Now, the production at Fringe is produced by Hollyhock Theatre Co, an indie theatre company here in Edmonton. The play is over at the Campus Saint-Jean Auditorium in the French Quarter, where the play takes full advantage of the larger space with a detailed, lived in set.

If you see the licensing details for this play, you'll see it's purported to run a total of 105 minutes. Hollyhock's Stop Kiss, on the Fringe website, runs a tight 90. At the performance I attended, it only went a minute or two over. As glad I am that this wonderful script is being shared, and by a company with a noticeable care for the meaning of the script, this tight runtime was noticeable in the performances and directing. Moments were occasionally rushed, and some of the heart of the show was missed as important moments weren't quite given the space they needed to breathe. While the cast was very likeable, and committed to their beats, the show could have benefitted from a slower pace.

While Fringe decrees 90mins as the maximum time, and the show is already running to that limit, there were moments that could have been cut down to allow more time for emotional scenes. The show did have a tendency to cut the momentum and tension with frequent, extended transitions, and allowing that time for the dialogue would have taken this production to the next level. Specifically, the show featured projection transitions and frequent costume changes. While both design elements were curated perfectly, and fit the mood of the show well, if they were cut down significantly it could have allowed more time for the scenes while keeping within the 90min limit.

The show has an important, still timely message which was delivered with care and precision by the cast and crew. It was a very detailed, especially technically, production for Fringe of a complex show. Shows like these make me wish Fringe had a little more space for longer shows, as if this show was allowed to run the normal runtime of 105 minutes, it would have been elevated substantially. As it is, it was still a strong production of a beautiful show.

Andrea Noga, Alberta Youth Theatre Collective.