In the middle of The Rejection Chronicles, a play adapted from Other People’s Rejection Letters edited by Bill Shapiro, Claire St-Francois bursts onto the stage as a ladybug clown and recites a monologue about rejection. It is the most compelling and fascinating moment of this play. Elizabeth Anne McCarthy directs this monologue, which has little conjunction with the way that she and Lora Campbell have directed the rest of the piece, but here she uses movement and character to inform the text from Shapiro’s book and to forge an instant connection with the audience. I think the rest of the show could benefit from the creators delving deeper into the text and for allowing their imaginations to take more liberties with the scenarios that are described in the letters and for finding more distinct voices and characters and also creative ways of expressing them. I feel like there is so much more for these performers to mine out and I hope that they will continue to do so.
The Rejection Chronicles play at the TNS Living Room (2353 Agricola Street) at the following times. It is $8.00
Sunday September 4th, 8:00pm
Thursday September 8th, 8:30pm
Friday September 9th, 8:00pm
Saturday September 10th, 8:00pm
Sunday, September 11th, 3:00pm
To book advanced tickets please visit Neptune Theatre’s Box Office, 1593 Argyle Street or call 902.429.7070 or visit www.atlanticfringe.ca.
Same Day Sales are available at the venue (Neptune Studio Theatre) From 1 Hour Before the First Show of the Day.
