Charlie’s Having a Baby! is currently onstage at Annex Theatre as part of Toronto Fringe Festival. A building connected to a former church is the perfect venue for this play.

Charlie’s Having a Baby! is the story of two struggling roommates. Charlie (Patricia McPherson) is hard working. Toula (Ruth Goodwin) dreams of fame and fortune but has questionable work ethics.

When word is received from Nana (Deon Denton) that she has cancer, Charlie and Toula enter a world of deceit and theft. They scheme to convince Nana that Charlie is married and pregnant.

Toula is an adorable airhead at the beginning of the play. Toula also plays Charlie’s husband in the play. Later, Toula has matured. She is more sophisticated and ready to deal with the world. Goodwin does a great job with the many versions of Toula.

Charlie also grows during the course of the play. She is initially a one-dimensional, Claire Huxtable clone from The Cosby Show. McPherson also does a great job making Charlie believable as she grows and becomes more accepting.

Deon Denton plays Nana. She also wrote and directed Charlie’s Having a Baby! She’s fantastic as Nana, making her into a person we all know and love to um, “tolerate”.

Denton launched Promise Productions in 2007 after years of success in Jamaica and the GTA. Promise places a premium on “moral excellence and social integrity”.

Charlie’s Having a Baby! isn’t preaching. The messages in the play are “gentle reminders” about how to live a just life. Promise Productions is faith based and have huge amounts of courage, vision and commitment.

Charlie’s Having a Baby! reminds me of a bygone era when things were simpler and more straightforward. It reminded me of old TV shows like Three’s Company mixed with Cosby with a hint of I Love Lucy. There’s a message but lots of mix-ups and fun too! Speaking of viewing pleasures, there is a trailer for the play. After I watched it, I HAD to see the play.

Details:

• Charlie’s Having a Baby! plays at Venue 5, Annex Theatre, 736 Bathurst Street
• Show times: Thu. July 5 @ 7:00 PM, Sat. July 7 @ 11:00 PM, Mon. July 9 @ 1:30 PM, Wed. July 11 @ 07:30 PM, Fri. July 13 @ 6:15 PM, Sat. July 14 @ 12:30 PM, Sun. July 15 @ 3:30 PM,
• All individual Fringe tickets are $10 ($5 for FringeKids) at the door (cash only).
• Tickets are available online at www.fringetoronto.com, by phone at 416-966-1062, in person at The Randolph Centre for the Arts, 736 Bathurst Street (Advance tickets are $11 – $9+$2 service charge)
• Value packs are available if you plan to see at least 5 shows

Photo of Ruth Goodwin and Patricia McPherson