After a fun-filled weekend away it was time to get back to Fringe! I took in two shows tonight in the Factory Theatre’s Studio space, Lesbihonest and Iphigenia in Splott. While they couldn’t be more different in tone, both productions delve deep into what it means to be a woman and the harsh realities women face every day.

Lesbihonest

Lesbihonest is a hilarious yet vulnerable one-woman show featuring Laura Piccinin. It chronicles her struggles with her sexuality, the labels that can come with that, the whole process of coming out, and everything in between. From dating blunders to very different Pride Parade experiences, Lesbihonest will make you laugh just as much as it makes you think.

            Laura has an effortless way of telling her stories that makes you feel like you’re a confident to her most harrowing tales. In that liveliness is a wit and charm that had me laughing from start to finish; yet their words are brutally honest about their experiences and that vulnerability had me engrossed in every tale. While we’ve certainly come a long way as a society, we still have a long way to go. But if we can have more LGBTQ+ voices sharing their stories, being open with their experiences, hopefully one day Laura’s visions for the future will become a reality.

            Lesbihonest is a funny, fabulous, fascinating show that you absolutely have to see. For more info and tickets, you can visit Lesbihonest | Toronto Fringe Festival (fringetoronto.com)

Iphigenia in Splott

Venturing into the realm of Greek Tragedy is Skipping Stone Theatre’s Iphigenia in Slpott. Written by Gary Owen and directed by Sean O’Brien, Iphigenia in Splott takes us on a journey with Effie, a former party girl who is forced to learn life’s greatest lessons of hope and loss. Performed by Breanna Maloney, this 75-minute tour-de-force is a definite must-see!

            Maloney delivers a powerful performance as Effie; to tell such an epic tale in a mere 75 minutes and as a one-woman show is nothing short of incredible. She grabs your attention from the first lines and holds it the whole way through the play. Maloney takes us from the highs of new love to the deepest depths of loss with such expertise and passion, I was completely rapt. It’s not all doom and gloom either, Effie has a funny way about her that makes you laugh just has hard as you might cry.

            Iphigenia in Splott is an impressive piece of theatre that I simply must urge you to see. For tickets and more information, visit Iphigenia in Splott | Toronto Fringe Festival (fringetoronto.com)

            Another successful day of Fringing! I enjoyed spending time out on the patio at Factory Theatre in between shows; it’s a great chance to chat with other audience members as well as other creators and enjoy a drink or a snack. Also folks, please remember to bring your masks with you as we need to make sure we’re protecting the artists as well as other audience members! And you can Tip the Fringe right at the door and get your awesome Fringe buttons. They even have a bucket that has tap for your credit card! Every donation goes back to the artists so every penny counts.