Stars, Stones, and Shadows: A Heroine’s Tale
Created by Erica O’Reilly
Produced by Into the Circle Theatre (Ottawa, Canada)
60M |
Content Warning: Abrupt Noise
By Barb Popel
Do you enjoy really good storytelling? Feminist folk tales? Then Stars, Stones and Shadows: A Heroine’s Tale is for you.
For 40 spellbinding minutes, Erica O’Reilly held the attention of her opening night audience. A member of the Ottawa Storytellers, her delivery was polished, with beautiful diction, excellent use of recorded sounds, and just the right amount of physicality. At times, she moved like a dancer—but always in aid of the story.
What story? One of a lone Irish woman named Saoirse and her companion dog named Bear, who encounter four mythical female spirits in a cave. Throughout the performance they each teach Saoirse something important: to trust her body, to release her rage to enable her to find peace, and to believe in the magic and intuition within herself, thereby letting her grief out.
O’Reilly’s beautiful word pictures remind us that each woman is her own heroine, and we are never walking alone.
The opening night audience appeared rapt, listening to her weave her marvellous tale.
Stars, Stones, and Shadows: A Heroine’s Tale plays at ODD Box until June 25, 2023. Visit ottawafringe.com/fringe/ for the schedule and box office info. Read more reviews at https://apt613.ca/category/festival/fringe/.
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