On the Verge of Whiteness
Created by Fenton Ho
Produced by Marginally Fit Productions, Ottawa
Review by Cristina Paolozzi
60 min / PG / Play, Drama / Mature language / Some mild swearing
Simplistic, minimalist and abstract, On the Verge of Whiteness stands as a giant metaphor for the constant anxiety of fitting into white society as a person of colour. With an all-Asian cast, this performance calls into question the relationship between “good” and “bad” minorities, the model immigrant and what it means to wait for certain validation.
Standing in a line that never seems to move, everyone is waiting for something… Although no one can really quite understand why they’re waiting, and for what. They know there are certain people they can’t associate with, and certain people who will be able to let them in—where ever that may be.
How long have they been waiting for, and who will give them the salvation they’re all supposedly looking for?
Image for On the Verge of Whiteness. Photo provided.
Fenton Ho, creator of On the Verge of Whiteness, was a real trooper, stepping in for a cast member that was unable to make it. While he was reading the script from his phone, he was still able to deliver powerful monologues and put true emotion into the character.
At first, the message of the play was difficult to hone as the style and dialogue of the performance was sometimes vague and minimal. But once the actors settled into the story, the underlying messages slowly revealed themselves. The play became a witty call-out of what it means to live close to whiteness, always trying to measure up to a standard set out by larger society.
The script was really clever, and played with these abstract ideas forming something that was not only real, but relevant.
On The Verge of Whiteness is playing at Arts Court Theatre from June 14–22. Tickets are $14 plus service fees at the Fringe box office (3rd floor, Arts Court, 2 Daly Avenue), and at the two satellite box offices (LabO in the Ottawa Art Gallery and La Nouvelle Scene). 5 and 10 Show Passes are also available. Visit the Ottawa Fringe Festival’s website for the show’s schedule and check out their online schedule here.
.gif)
