Created by Alan Fehr
Produced by Real Live Entertainment, Steinbach, Canada
Review by Ireen Savoy
60 mins / M
The Naked Mennonite: LIVE is the religious coming of age story of Stephen, who moves with his family to a small, conservative Mennonite community. We follow Stephen as he experiences the highs and lows of growing up, with the added complex layer of religious devotion and the expectations that come with that. This serious story is packaged in a humorous monologue style that captivates the audience.
This play has an educational quality to it, as it starts with Stephen giving us a rundown of the beginnings of Christianity. We follow along as he then proceeds to tell us his story, and strips himself of his clothing progressively as we are accompanied through the exploration of his beliefs and identity, and how these have changed over the years.
Photo by Aaron Redekop.
The pacing of the story, the props used, and the burlesque physicality of the performance are some of the elements that keep the audience engaged and very entertained throughout the entire show.
This play would be best suited for people who have a baseline knowledge of Christianity and have an open mind when it comes to religious beliefs. This show would also be best suited for adults as the character is mostly naked for a good part of the presentation.
The Naked Mennonite: LIVE is playing at ODD Box from June 12–21. Tickets are $14 plus service fees at the Fringe box office (3rd floor, Arts Court, 2 Daly Avenue), and at the three satellite box offices (LabO in the Ottawa Art Gallery, Fringe Courtyard, 67 Nicholas St and La Nouvelle Scène). Five and ten Show Passes are also available. Visit the Ottawa Fringe Festival’s website for the show’s schedule and check out their online schedule here.
