Ottawa Fringe, Oreo, and Beer Tent Reviews

I encourage all of you to do the same.

It is, of course, perfectly acceptable to drink a nonalcoholic beverage during these interactions (though why you would want to do that when beer is plentiful and reasonably priced is a little beyond me). Regardless of what beverage you choose to consume, if you don’t do at least a little mingling after the show, you’re missing out on a rewarding experience.

Ottawa Fringe is all about community, and it’s the easiest community in the world to join. Buy a ticket, see a show, grab a beverage (I recommend the apricot beer), and then go meet some new people and talk about what you saw. Be brave and approach the cast. Actors love praise, so begin by saying: “Hey, thanks for the show.” Then just introduce yourself, and you're off!

Here is an example of the kind of mutually rewarding experience that can happen when artists and audience engage with each other. My friend Michael and I attended the June 19th performance of Oreo at the University of Ottawa’s Academic Hall. Michael is a music aficionado whose brain is filled with a staggering amount of musical factoids that take “music geek” to a whole new level.

As it happens, there is a re-occurring reference to Steely Dan throughout Silent Quemb’s production of Oreo. On the way to the beer tent after the show, Michael informed me that Steely Dan got their name from a dildo in William S. Boroughs’ Naked Lunch. Since Oreo is set in a sex shop, we naturally wondered if Nadine Thornhill – the writer and star of the show – was aware of this piece of musical trivia.

About half way through an apricot beer, the cast of Oreo appeared on the scene at the beer tent, and a great conversation was had. As it turns out, Ms. Thornhill was not aware of the origin of Steely Dan’s name, and she was delighted to hear about this serendipitous coincidence.

So how was the play?

Fantastic! This is Fringe theatre at its best. The incredible script deals with the issue of racial identity in a refreshing, vibrant, and humorous way. As Colleen Sutton, a member of the cast, has said, “Come for the sex and dildos, but stay for the social commentary.” All too often social commentary is delivered with an angry shaking fist of rage, or with the painful earnestness of an after-school special. Ms. Thornhill should be applauded for taking a different path. Finding humour in complicated and sensitive issues is difficult to pull off without trivializing the issue itself, but Oreo succeeds in spades!

All of the performances in this production were solid, but Nadine Thornhill, without a doubt, carries the show. Her commitment and desire to share her script with the audience comes through in her performance as Kaye, a newly divorced women of colour who is “black on the outside, white on the inside,” and determined to find a way to live life inside her own skin while working in a sex shop. She is a joy to watch.

Iyono Ede plays the role of Kaye’s mother, Bea, and her performance is so compelling that I found myself eagerly anticipating her character’s return to the stage. I was not alone. Ms. Ede is clearly having fun in the role, and fun is contagious. The audience ate it up.

Finally, Colleen Sutton’s portrayal of various sex shop patrons is exceptional. She plays three separate characters, which could have easily been portrayed as caricatures, but Ms. Sutton opts to take the more challenging path. She presents the audience with three very distinct characters that come across as separate individuals, rather than cardboard two-dimensional archetypes.

This one is gold. Check it out, and don’t forget to go to the beer tent afterward and engage with others. You might just see me there. If you do, let me know what you’ve seen and what you think of the show. The Ottawa Fringe is a great little community and everyone is welcome to join. All you have to do is buy a ticket.

For more information and performances time for Oreo click here.

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Comments (2)

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Jessica Ruano

June 23, 2009

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I second that!

Nadine Thornhill definitely carries this show, and she has a wonderfully supportive cast to play along. The writing was surprisingly witty (well, not THAT surprising; I just wasn't sure what to expect), and I kept wanting to know what was going to happen next, who would walk in the door of that sex shop. It was quirky and enchanting. I would recommend this to "theatre people" and "non-theatre people" alike.

Evan Thornton

June 23, 2009

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Great review Wayne.

Had known that about Steely Dan once upon a time but didn't make the connection at the show - kudos to Michael for spotting it.

And it was a great show - my only criticism would be that it hid some of its light under a bushel; in particular, I could have seen a bit more of Mom. Her few moments were perfect, but I came away thinking the character was under-utilized. I'd have liked it if the script could have found a way for her to break cover and rough up the fiance for some of his more boorish remarks, for example.

But that is just a quibble. What this show did so well was to make an argument --sustain a point of view --over the length of a whole play, and do it without preaching, too.

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