When afternoon coffee and pastries turns into more of an interrogation, Ilsa finds herself irrevocably trapped in a battle between her well-hidden past and newly-minted present. Deborah Shaw’s her. explores this dilemma in which Ilsa finds herself on two spring afternoons in 1954 Toronto. Directed by David Agro and starring Shaw, her. is a pointed exploration of the power of words to unlock some of our deepest, darkest secrets.

I enjoyed the simple set for the performance; with it being a one-woman show, it ensured the focus was on Shaw throughout. The empty picture frame was especially eye-catching to me, and I like the mysterious element it’s given in the second portion of the play. The costume really gives us the idea of the time period for this piece; a stunning black and white dress with red accents is perfectly befitting a 1950’s hostess. As is the silver coffee set and three-tiered dessert stand; seeing all of those baked goodies made my mouth water!

I understand that this production is a re-working of an earlier Fringe script, and while I wasn’t able to see the original at the Fringe Festival, I’d be interested to know how it has changed. her. is a one-woman show, yet Ilsa has guests coming into her home throughout the play. This did create a tendency for expository language being used particularly at the beginning, which I found to be little tedious as the show went on. However, I do understand how Gunter’s questioning, resembling what Ilsa faced in Germany, was required to divulge these secrets. Part of me wonders if these secrets could be unravelled merely by allowing the character to stroll further down memory lane in an intimate confession to just the audience, rather than having to have the other characters there. The more Ilsa confesses, the more engrossed I became; Shaw’s charisma and ability to remain slightly mysterious no matter how much she unburdened made for a very intriguing show.

Shaw gives a stellar performance in her. You can feel every secret, the pain of every admission, the hurt at the accusations, all emanating from Shaw as the piece unfolds. Her perfect posture and polite manners were exemplary of the time and added another layer to the new persona Ilsa has created for herself in her new home. You can feel Shaw’s affinity for this character she’s created throughout her performance. I cannot wait to see what other intricate and enticing characters she’ll bring to life next.

You won’t want to miss this very limited run of her. at the Red Sandcastle Theatre. This enticing mystery is sure to grip you from the first moment to the last. For more information and tickets, visit: https://zippysaidproductions.com/about-her

---

Photo by Brad Vos

---

Thank you to my Patrons:

B. Kinnon, D. Moyes

Would you like to become a Patron? Check out my Patreon at: https://www.patreon.com/AViewfromtheBox?utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator