Cinderella, BUST and Moi, Monsieur, Moi! All over the map - literally!

Well, I traveled from Italy to Fort McMurray and then to Senegal this week in my theatrical adventures! I also took in an Opera, a new work and a one-woman show - variety that is a testament to the many different theatrical offerings available in Edmonton in most months!

Cinderella (or La Cenerentola) at Edmonton Opera was a delightful, silly romp! The cast went for the ridiculous in this Cinderella story with a twist (the Prince is also in disguise!). Supported by terrific costumes and a fun set, this was a great light-hearted adventure. I enjoyed the singing, particularly from Krisztina Szabó as Cinderella and John Tessier as Prince Ramiro. They made a lovely couple! It was also nice to go to an opera where you don't have to rely too heavily on the surtitles because you know the basic story and the step-sisters and Dandini provided many over-the-top comic moments!

Bust at Theatre Network took us to Fort McMurray post-wildfire. I have to admit, this show had me apprehensive, as most shows about Fort McMurray do. I am not sure that it captured much that I recognized as being specifically Fort McMurray any more than any other smaller city in Canada, so I could relax a little in that. I think for any of my friends who went through the fire, that this would be a challenging show to see - because there are trigger moments that might be hard to deal with. The set is gorgeous (although there should be snow... if they're playing hockey in McMurray there will be snow outside). It evokes more the burnt out  forest surrounding the city. Note: for people familiar with Fort McMurray and what the area around the tailings pond looks like, you will have to accept that there was dramatic license... The cast is a committed ensemble. Louise Lambert stands out with incredible drive through the piece and Lora Brovold delivers a heart-breaking monologue about loss that I really connected with.

Moi, Monsieur, Moi! at L'uni Theatre was a one-woman show about a young girl born in Senegal who was passed on to an aunt, a cousin, an uncle. It was brilliantly performed by Patricia Gomis using puppets, props and a terrific story-telling ability. It's a story with humour and sadness and truth. Truly entertaining but not veering away from challenging and difficult topics. French with english surtitles. I took my husband and he liked it so much he returned the next evening with our sons.

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