By Ireen Savoy
BLINDSIDE
Created by Stéphanie Morin-Robert
Winnipeg | 80 mins
Have you ever wondered how to disinfect a prosthetic eye? Widely acclaimed show BLINDSIDE created and performed by Stéphanie Morin-Robert will satisfy this curiosity and answer many more questions you never thought you had regarding glass eyes and growing up in northern Ontario.
In this funny and intimate play, Stéphanie Morin-Robert brings the audience with her as we dive into poignant moments that defined her childhood. Diagnosed with a cancer that impacts her eyesight at the age of two, she recounts the perks and downsides of being a kid with non-terminal cancer, and the challenges that come with growing up with a prosthetic eye in the towns of Timmins and Porcupine.
From her recounting her Make-A-Wish choice to describing different incidents where she navigates social interactions in grade school with her peers while dealing with the prosthetic, Morin-Robert brings light and humour to sometimes heart twisting experiences and complex situations.
Stéphanie Morin-Robert in Angle Mort / BLINDSIDE. Photo provided.
Morin-Robert knows how to work a crowd and eases through her story with confidence, making her audience more and more comfortable with her glass eye with relatable cultural references and light crowd participation. Using different elements in her play such as dance, web cams, sound effects and comedy-style crowd work, this show was engaging from a storytelling perspective as well visually captivating.
Morin-Robert knows how to use the space to her advantage and incorporates movement to some sections of the play, bringing a nice physical quality to the storytelling. She also makes the audience laugh with the ingenious use of select props along the way.
All in all, this was an excellent play that was dynamic, family friendly and funny, while still being poignant with its messaging: celebrating human differences. If you wish to see a play but feel intimidated by theater and are unsure where to start, this would be an excellent show to go see! BLINDSIDE has been vetted on the international stage and you won’t want to miss this last presentation in Ottawa.
BLINDSIDE is at undercurrents until Feb. 8. Tickets are pay-what-you-can, ranging from $10 to $50. For more information and to purchase tickets, see the undercurrrents schedule here.
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