Fringe 2025 Review: Multiple Neurosis

Created by Karen Fekko
Produced by Karen Fekko Productions | Toronto, ON
Review by Mer Weinhold
60 mins / 14+ / Solo, Storytelling

A solo show is by its nature an intimate experience, especially in a small venue, and Multiple Neurosis plays to the format’s strengths to deliver some of the finest storytelling I’ve seen at Fringe.

Karin Fekko leads the audience through scenes across 20 years of illness and 40 years of her life, drawing out the through-line of ableism. Her background in standup comedy is evident in the effective staging — only a stool and microphone accompany her on stage, and a quiet, understated delivery lets the script land with its full impact. Light cues were helpful in orienting the audience to when different scenes were set, and to indicate when dreams were being recounted.

Karin Fekko in Multiple Neurosis. Photo by Ramy Arida.

This is a deeply personal story, with frank accounts of what it’s like to live with a usually-invisible disability and how that impacts every aspect of life. Storytelling is a very effective choice for this show, bringing the audience closer by making the performance feel like a conversation, rather than adding the distance of making them observers that acting out scenes would have done.

Among the struggles that are part and parcel of being disabled in an ableist world are many moments of joy, success, and humour. I laughed more often than I have at some comedies, though a dark sense of humour may be an asset to appreciate the funny side of things. To the best of my knowledge, Ottawa Fringe is the world premiere of Multiple Neurosis, and I would highly recommend taking the opportunity to see it while it’s here.

Multiple Neurosis is playing at Studio 1201 from June 13–22. 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.