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by Stephanie Fowler, directed by Pat O’Connor

Sandcastle Theatre, Toronto Fringe Festival, St. Vladimir’s Theatre, Toronto

July 3-13, 2014

Real mother and daughter, Stephanie Fowler and Beatrice Fowler Campbell, act out the natural strife that develops between a middle-aged mother named Stephanie and her fourteen-year-old daughter, Beatrice.  Playwright, Stephanie Fowler’s strategy is to depict a typical argument and then have the mother and daughter each present her view of her actions directly to the audience before they launch into yet another argument. 

The generous humour derives from the accuracy of Fowler’s depiction of how differently parent and child perceive the same events.  To be tour-worthy, however, all the show needs is for the acting, direction and stage management to reach the same high level of precision as the writing.

              

©Christopher Hoile

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

Photo: Beatrice Fowler Campbell and Stephanie Fowler.  ©2014 G. Campbell Photography.

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