MEG MACKAY: FREELANCE WITCH by Meg MacKay (MacKay). At the Tarragon Solo Room. July 9 at 5:45 pm, July 11 at 8:15 pm, July 12 at 9:45 pm, July 13 at 10:30 pm, July 14 at 4:30 pm, July 15 at 12:30 pm. See listing. Rating: NNN
Meg MacKay is already known as an up-and-coming stand-up, with sly jokes and endearingly awkward delivery, punctuated by flashes of giddy enthusiasm. But this is her first attempt at full-length storytelling, and it shows.
She and first-time director Chanty Marostica dont yet have smooth segues between her contrasting material an exploration of an initially happy and eventually abusive relationship, and stories from an ill-planned sojourn cat-sitting for months in Oman.
A 15-minute detour into MacKays formative years growing up in PEI, and coming out as queer to her tough-as-nails mother, goes over much better, as its closer to her stand-up material.
But for fans of Hannah Gadsbys hit Netflix special Nanette, that sort of candid exploration, delving into suicidal ideation and claiming space, is what MacKay is working towards. With more experience, and some dramaturgical assistance, she could get there.
