It deals with a seemingly simple premise: a man and a woman meet at a bus stop. This scene is performed three times with nearly identical text but very different outcomes. In the first, the man is stalking her; in the second, she is stalking him; in the third: it’s a romantic comedy. It’s fascinating to watch.

Erin Norah Thompson playfully explores consent and how romance vanishes when it is not reciprocated. She writes with honesty and a delightful sense of humour. 

Thompson’s choice to close with the Hollywood ending is brilliant.  The text is tainted twice before we arrive at the comfortable, traditional approach. It is at once comforting to be back in familiar territory and eye-opening to see how little the content must change for the scene to be so different. Creepy becomes cute.

Both Erin Norah Thompson and Jesse Bond deliver splendid performances. They are firmly rooted in reality and have great chemistry. Bond steers clear of the stereotypical male creep and somehow maintains the human under the stalker.

The attention to detail is superb. The set is a simple bench that is treated like scales measuring consent. It angles one way or the other for the creepy scenes and is balanced for the romantic scene. It is a subtle, yet beautiful, touch.

The transitions, cleverly utilizing covers of Radiohead’s “Creep”, are another lovely detail. It’s almost like a dance, just two bodies in space before the next scene. They are brief but intriguingly theatrical in an otherwise naturalistic show.

A standing ovation later, I heard a couple in the front row exclaim, “That is theatre!” I couldn’t agree more. This show is simply a joy to watch. Meet Cute is a must-see!

Details

• Meet Cute is playing at the Annex Theatre.
• Tickets are $12 in advance, $10 at the door. The festival also offers a range of money-saving passes for serious Fringers.
• Tickets can be purchased online, by phone (416-966-1062), from the festival box office down Honest Ed’s Alley (581 Bloor West), or from the venue box office starting one hour before the performance. Venue sales are cash-only.
• Be advised that Fringe performances always start exactly on time, and latecomers are never admitted. Set your watch to CBC time, and arrive a few minutes early to avoid disappointment.

Remaining Showtimes:
July 05 at 07:30 PM
July 06 at 03:15 PM
July 07 at 10:15 PM
July 09 at 12:00 PM
July 10 at 04:00 PM
July 11 at 02:15 PM

Photo provided by the company.