THE HEALING SHOW by Sophia Zoe (SoZo Media/Fringe). At Eastminster United Church (310 Danforth Avenue). July 4 at 8:30 pm, July 5 at 5 pm, July 6 at 8 pm, July 11 at 8 pm, July 12 at 5 pm, July 13 at 8:30 pm, July 14 at 3:30 pm. See listing. Rating: NN
At a certain point in her debut solo effort, actor/healer Sophia Zoe invites the audience to rid themselves of internal pain using colour therapy, and then consoles those who’ve achieved more subtle results: “You must acknowledge that you did what you could with the resources you had.” Words to live by at the Fringe.
Clearly, this film and voice actor-turned-therapeutic touch healer has stories to tell and wisdom to share. What Zoe doesn’t have are the projection chops and production support to make her show work in this cavernous (and un-air conditioned) church sanctuary space.
Director Christopher Wilson provides cues when Zoe stumbles, as well as banal tinned music fragments and big encouraging laughs from the sidelines, but how about more rehearsal time, a few dedicated lights and a microphone to help frame Zoe’s potentially riveting tale of alternative healing modalities used to overcome physical trauma and pain?
