Enmeshed
In Nguyen Dinh’s Enmeshed, an adorable couple in their 20s embarks on a journey into polyamory and leaves very different from how they entered. The only constant is laundry. Adam is at the start of his PhD while Tiny puts her dreams of art and printmaking on hold to work in an office. Ollie, a colleague of Adam’s and his Dungeons and Dragons Dungeon Master, opens the door for them to try out an open relationship by sharing her manifesto/guidebook. Open to the three Fs, friendships, fun, and feels, they begin dating others with all of the scheduling challenges that entails. The two provide support and a solid base of love and unflinching communication in their new adventure, but it’s when they establish regular second partners that the complications really begin. There’s jealousy, loneliness, and perhaps most importantly, obligations to others that really provide the tempering fire of their evolving identities.
Tiny and Adam are loveable people, almost Jane Austen-esque in their sweet connection. To call them flawless would be a bit of a simplification, but they have almost no darkness in them; they’re so gentle and twee. Eli and Lise are slightly more complicated. Eli is a bit narcissistic and even slightly dim compared to Adam. Lise (perfectly acted by Julie Sanitini) is an older woman making sense of her failed marriage and re-orienting her life trajectory towards her career.
What I especially appreciated in this show was that polyamory is shown as a viable lifestyle which provides joy and richness to life, and for it to persist, as with any relationship, it needs space to grow and change.
The passing of time is perhaps the hardest thing to grasp as the show advances through brief interactions between Tiny and Adam, and their metamours, Eli, and Lise. Adam completes his PhD, which makes it seem as if 4 years (minimally) have passed, but at other times, it seems as if it’s all events have happened over a shorter or longer span of time. Another thing that struck me is how the show very deliberately avoids anything sexual/sensual and focuses on the romantic/emotional aspects of connection. I can’t decide if this is avoided because it proved to complicated or a wise decision to take the emphasis off sex. It is notable, either way, because sensual physical intimacy is important and a big part of the sustaining power in most relationships and relevant to the emotional experience. Nonetheless, this an excellent show that captures something very real about the way a relationship can change even when everyone has the best intentions and all the love in their heart.
Enmeshed is playing June 13 and 14 at Cité des Hospitalières.
Inconvenient Dragons
On the success of last year’s show Potion Ethics, a few of the cast (Chrystal Zhang, Sara Capanna, Nia Blankson) are back with more from epic fantasy worlds about a mother and daughter who are from the lineage of the highly esteemed Knights of Albion. Daughter Rebecca wants to explore new realms — not in the location sense, but more in her education. She wants to learn pottery and dancing. Mother Sarah, though, emphasizes that its diligence to learning her sword skills that creates a successful career. Despite Sarah’s insistence to focus on being a knight, Rebecca heads off to attend a concert in town anyway. It’s a Disney-esque clash, the conservative parent with the precocious, the curious child who wants more. Inevitably something happens to Sarah and Rebecca must figure out how to save the day. Songs are sung, dances are danced, and, like any Disney formula, it works well. This light hearted show is genuine Fringe material. It’s fun, funny, full of heart and spunk.
Inconvenient Dragons is at O Patro Vys on June 13 and 15. Tickets HERE.
The Heterosexuals
Join an audience of like-minded queers to get the tea on the fact that the Heterosexuals are not okay. Did you know they constantly put up tests to showcase who is queer and who isn’t, starting from babyhood onwards? Johnnie Prime endured them all and always came out on top. Lots of sassy takedowns and entertaining observations about the straights make this comedic solo show entertaining from start to finish. He has fabulous style — the shirt alone, but the whole outfit is class — that celebrates and embraces all those who are historically and still in the present, marginalized by greater society. Walk out uplifted, even if you are more a Ross & Rachel in your orientation.
The Heterosexuals is playing June 14 and 15 at O Patro Vys. Tickets HERE.
The Montreal Fringe continues until June 15. Tickets for all shows HERE. To see our previous reviews, check out Meat Factory : Mommy, Homecumming, The Routine, Colonial Circus, Jem Rolls Adventures in Canadian Parking Lots (review Levine), Harlem of the North, To Pieces, Jem Rolls Adventures in Canadian Parking Lots (review Fuerst), A Love Unbecoming, and Poz.
