A Side of Rice
Created by Nicholas Rice
Produced by Chromedome Productions
60m
Content notes: Described performance, Sensory friendly, Sexual content
As we traipse into the venue before the show, Nicholas Rice is introducing himself to everyone in the first few rows. ‘Hi – I’m Nick’. He greets a few familiar acquaintances even more warmly. Before the show has begun, you get a sense that he is a very nice person.
Nick has a lifetime of Canadian stage acting experience. This show gives us the origin story of that career and weaves in some intensely personal stories along the way.
Nick’s story starts in south Winnipeg in the early 50’s. He is a nice Jewish boy born to an older couple. A defining point in his life was the death of his father when he was only 5.
He discovers his love for the stage at age 10. A teacher calls him out for singing at the back of the class and offers him the chance to either be quiet or share it with the rest of the class. Nick takes the unexpected option of singing ‘Let’s Twist Again’ to everyone. He sells it with a big finish and gets that addictive endorphin rush which leads him to a lifetime on the stage. Afterwards, Nick is picked first for soccer because of his courageous choice. He tells us that the absence of his father has made this acceptance from ‘the guys’ that much more important to him.
The rest of the show is more about his family. His single mother, Merle, is the crucial thread that binds his life together. Nick relays her story from birth, early in the 20th century, through to her death in the late 1980s.
Nick’s stories are compelling, but it’s his performance which makes the show work. You feel you’re in the presence of a master storyteller. His delivery is natural and his timing is perfect.
A SIDE OF RICE is playing at Arts Court Theatre until June 24, 2023. Visit https://ottawafringe.com/fringe/ for the schedule and box office info. Read more reviews at https://apt613.ca/category/festival/fringe/.
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