My second day at Next Stage Festival was just as thrilling and eventful as the first. I saw the other two shows being offered in the Chamber at Buddies in Bad Times Theatre, which are This Feels Like The End and The Noose. Two remarkably different stories, both told in their own unique styles; this is what Next Stage is all about!

This Feels Like The End

What would happen to the Earth if the sun was no longer shining? Science says we wouldn’t last very long. But what if the plants were still growing, the moon still shone brightly at night, and even the Northern Lights could be seen dancing across the sky? How do we explain that? This Feels Like The End, expertly written by Bonnie Duff and beautifully directed by Michelle Blight, tackles this unparalleled situation through the eyes of five individuals who are going to change each other’s lives forever.

This Feels Like The End is a brilliant example of how science fiction can work on stage. A post-apocalyptic story, This Feels Like The End shows us the moment where the sun is suddenly blocked out by an unknown force. Initially, the characters struggle to figure out what’s happened, but eventually they become obsessed with the why as well. Robin (superbly portrayed by Jasmine Case), a nine year old girl, is full of questions about the science behind what’s happening, yet no adult has a good answer for her. Emmi (in a strong performance by writer Bonnie Duff) has gone to her home country of Finland where the mythology tells stories of such events happening several times in their history. Eric (a charming Cameron Laurie) is on a crusade to save souls, and manages to snare Jamie (Landon Nesbitt) in his evangelical net. Meanwhile Sandy (gracefully embodied by Tara Koehler), who is Robin’s Mom and Jamie’s therapist, tries terribly to hold it all together despite not having the answers for anyone who’s coming to her with questions.

This Feels Like The End is an emotionally charged play featuring stellar performances, exquisite puppetry, and an ending you’ll never see coming!

For more information and tickets, visit: This Feels Like The End | Toronto Fringe Festival

The Noose

The American Dream as brought Polydor and Pyram to New York City from their native home of Haiti, but things aren’t going quite as they were promised. Stuck together in a tiny basement apartment, the two have vastly different views as to how the world works and what their place is in it. The Noose, written by Frankétienne and directed by Abigail Whitney, is a two-hander about the crushing realities of immigrant life.

Pyram (played by Louco St. Fleur) is a working-class man who’s spent the whole three years he’s been in New York working in a factory. He saves every penny to send back home to his large family. His roommate Polydor (played by Edmond Clark) used to be wealthy back in Port-au-Prince, and is an intellectual who spends most of his days smoking and reading papers. The two not only clash in their manner of speech, but in their thoughts about their new lives as well. Polydor has a far more realistic look at what the world is like, while Pyram holds onto the dreams which brought him to America in the first place.

The Noose is very reminiscent of the absurdist plays of France; as the two are stuck in a room, no one ever leaves, and they talk about existential matters like class and one’s place in the world. Like Didi and Gogo from Waiting for Godot, it doesn’t feel like much is going to change for these characters, and yet they’re still willing to soldier on through it all, running on pure hope for future. Though the text lags a little, the performances are very well done, and bring these complicated characters to life beautifully.

The Noose is certainly a unique experience, and one which I think will resonate with people very deeply.

For more information and tickets, visit: The Noose | Toronto Fringe Festival

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