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by Lorenzo Pagnotta, directed by Tony Babcock

(Eduardo’s) Kith as Kin, Toronto Fringe Festival, Robert Gill Theatre, Toronto

July 4-14, 2013

Lorenzo Pagnotta's solo play chronicling the coming-out of a young man from a conservative Italian-Canadian background growing up in the Prairies follows an overly familiar arc. It then devolves into a general disquisition against online dating, where Pagnotta has nothing new to say.

When playing himself, Pagnotta's delivery is strangely bland in contrast to the energy and humour he lends to ten or so other characters such as his impersonation of his forceful mother or his moving portrayal of a Jewish doctor from a novel by Giorgio Bassani. It's just too bad he grants these vibrant figures only cameo roles in his narrative.

              

©Christopher Hoile

Note: A version of this review appeared in NOW Magazine 2013-07-11.

Photo: Lorenzo Pagnotta.  ©2013 Dahlia Katz.

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