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by Hooligans Theatre, directed by Sky Gilbert

Hooligans Theatre, Toronto Fringe Festival, Helen Gardiner Phelan Playhouse, Toronto

July 3-13, 2014;

Hamilton Fringe Festival, Workers Arts and Heritage Centre, July 18-20, 2014

Komunka gives us a glimpse of contemporary life in a communal apartment in Moscow.  The seven tenants and one squatter reflect the various tensions between old in new in Russia in economics, internal and external politics and gender relations that lead some to long for the days of unity through repression. 

Presided over by a warmly sympathetic ex-actress Olga (Peggy Mahon), the tenants range in temperament from Sasha (Sean Pratt), a racist, homophobic lout who mistreats his no longer patient wife Masha (Julia Porter), to Alex (Andrew Pimento), a sensitive out gay man who lives with his a closeted lover Stas (Andrew Cromwell).  The seeming haphazardness that makes the action appear so uncomfortably realistic also makes one wish for a tauter structure and a more satisfying conclusion.

              

©Christopher Hoile

Note: A version of this review appeared in NOW Magazine 2014-07-10.

Photo: Andrew Pimento.  ©2014 Yury Ruzhyev.

For tickets, visit http://fringetoronto.com.