SIX STORIES, TOLD AT NIGHT by KT Bryski (Gangway! Theatre Co.). At Theatre Passe Muraille Mainspace. July 11 at 7:30 pm, July 13 at 3:30 pm, July 15 at 1 pm. See listing. Rating: NNNN
Quebecois folklore meets female coming of age story in this new fantasy play by KT Bryski.
Joelle (Alexandra Milne) and Sam (our narrator, a youthful, emotive Blythe Haynes) have been best friends since childhood, but the older they get, the more distance between them grows. Troubled and brilliant, Joelle becomes more and more obsessed with folk tales, specifically the land of Faerie. When she suddenly goes missing, it’s up to Sam to journey into the Otherworld to find her.
The piece is interwoven with six different Quebecois folk tales that connect to the characters past, and Bryski seamlessly integrates them into the larger narrative. Milne shines as the moody Joelle, and her precise gesture work makes her dance between characters seem effortless. Isaiah Kolundzic is entertaining as wily Coyote (and as all the men, whom he plays with gleeful abhorrence). Blair Hayness direction deftly keeps the action flowing through numerous stories and settings. Originally a podcast drama, this adaptation makes rollicking, enjoyable show.
While I wish it had been a bit shorter (90 minutes is long for the Fringe), its clear that Bryski is a storyteller to watch.
