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SummerWorks review: Let’s Try This Standing

LET’S TRY THIS STANDING by Gillian Clark (Keep Good (Theatre) Company/SummerWorks). At the Factory Mainspace. Aug 5 at 8:15 pm, Aug 7 at 4:45 pm, Aug 9 at 5:45 pm, Aug 10 at 7:30 pm, Aug 12 at 12:30 pm, Aug 13 at 5:45 pm. See listing. Rating: NNN


Not everyone can maintain a sense of humour after enduring a near-death experience, but writer-performer Gillian Clark brings wit, optimism and honesty to her compelling show.

Six years ago, Clark sustained severe, life-altering injuries after getting hit by an SUV. With her stage manager/projection and sound designer Daniel Oulton nearby onstage to assist when necessary, Clark recalls the incident and the resulting physical and emotional scars.

Regular visits with a massage therapist she nicknames “Hands” provide the catalyst for the show’s format – she counts these dreaded appointments and each one sparks stories about her recovery struggles.

Clark bravely shares information about bodily functions, relationships and sex, but the script includes an overabundance of detail and could use some condensing and polishing.

Although most of the monologue is delivered from a chair, Anthony Black’s direction incorporates some surprising moments that heighten the drama even more, and an ending that will make you cheer.

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