It’s mid-July and that means it’s time for the Winnipeg Fringe Theatre Festival! This year the festival runs from July 16-27. There are 25 venues and 145 shows to choose from, including local offerings and national and international productions.

To get in on the fun, pick up a Winnipeg Fringe Festival program from any liquor commission in the city, or download the PDF on the Fringe website:
winnipegfringe.com

I’ll be reviewing some shows this year for CJNU, so be sure to read the latest review here on the website.

Below is the review for “Nervous Breakdown in G-Minor” at Venue 3 (Théâtre Cercle Molière)

Check your program for dates and times.

WINNIPEG, MB — If you love cello music, go see this play, if only to witness the masterful execution of the instrument by Chicago’s Lewis Rawlinson. This first-time Fringe performer weaves his story about growing up as a gay man in a Mormon home in Billings, Montana, with a Rachmaninoff sonata in four movements, which mirrors his life experiences. Raised in a community where “homosexuality is a greater sin than adultery,” he finds comfort in music and begins playing the cello, while simultaneously praying to God to take these feelings away and make him normal. When that doesn’t work, he comes out (quite spectacularly), and after graduation, leaves home to pursue a scholarship in classical cello at a Florida music college. When he starts to fall behind, Rawlinson turns to partying and drugs and, as the title implies, ends up in a battle with his mental health.

While the play’s concept is sound, the writing lacks the dramatic clout necessary for an audience to truly invest in the story. Rawlinson is a good enough actor, but I mostly felt like I was on the outside looking in. Nothing a skilled dramaturg couldn’t rectify. It also comes off as somewhat choppy, which may be due to Rawlinson’s sole reliance on lighting and sound for the many transitions. A more natural flow would make for a better piece of theatre. This is where a good director could have an impact. There is so much potential here – if only the excellent pieces could be integrated into a successful whole.

Robbi Goltsman-Ferris
CJNU Radio