The Merkin Sisters
Created by Ingrid Hansen and Stéphanie Morin-Robert
Produced by Stéphanie Morin-Robert (Winnipeg & Victoria, Canada)
60M | 14+
By Stephanie Wobensmith
The Merkin Sisters is a theatrical piece of few words—but that doesn’t mean it has nothing to say. In contrast, the sparseness of its words makes those it does, stand out even more. An exasperated verbal mention of art is even more powerful when it comes after minutes of silence.
This is where I need to make a very embarrassing confession about words. Before signing up to review this show, I didn’t know what a merkin was. What drew my interest in the show was the same promotional material that you’ve likely seen on the Ottawa Fringe Festival website. It looked fun, whimsical, and gender-bendy—and those words were correct about this show. It is an absolutely fun ride all the way through.
The Merkin Sisters is bursting with physical comedy. It sometimes pays homage to the comedic legends of the past, but it does so in a way that feels fresh and modern. It incorporates burlesque and drag performances of all gender presentations, from high masc to high femme and everything in between. That’s where the merkin from the name comes in, and the show does not disappoint in either its scale or imagination.
The duo invites the audience to get involved with co-creating the show even before it officially begins, with attendees taking the stage during the show. This production is a masterful theatrical adventure, and the audience participation makes this even more satisfying to watch (or even partake in yourself).
This show takes the typical tropes of theatre and turns them upside down in the best possible way. It is a fun-loving celebration of what it means to be human, a party wrapped up as a theatrical show, and you’re invited. The Merkin Sisters is absolutely a must-see at the Ottawa Fringe Festival. It may have few words, but it has a lot of heart and creativity, and a truly awe-inspiring amount of merkins in the best way possible.
The Merkin Sisters plays at the Arts Court Theatre until June 24, 2023. Visit ottawafringe.com/fringe/ for the schedule and box office info. Read more reviews at https://apt613.ca/category/festival/fringe/.
