Poiema Productions is producing Candice's one-woman show, "Anatolia Speaks", written and directed by Kenneth Brown. We had a preview the day before we left Edmonton, and it was the first time I had seen the play.
What a beautiful piece of theatre. The writing is brilliant and Candice completely becomes Anatolia, an immigrant from Bosnia living in Edmonton and working at Superstore. She shares heart-wrenching stories of the life she has left behind, as well as touching hopes and dreams of the life she has started and will continue to build. The play puts an immigrant’s life into perspective- especially the things that happen to them before they immigrate. We are extremely lucky to be living in Canada, free to do as we please with a surplus of food and water to fuel us as we go. Anatolia doesn't take anything for granted and celebrates the life she has now without throwing away her past. She has every right to be an angry, cold, dark person after going through life in war-torn Bosnia and her difficult travels to get here, but instead she is uplifted, joyful, and hopeful of what is to come. Her personality and outlook is a breath of fresh air and will capture anyone she shares her story with.
We opened the show last night and it went great! Our audience was responsive and Candice received a standing ovation, well deserved I might add. We were in a wonderful article about Ken Brown (and the 5 shows he's involved in here) and put in the list of the top 10 buzzed about shows in the London Free Press so I'd say we are off to a great start here in London! It doesn't hurt that the show is written by Ken Brown, not only our teacher and mentor, but also the man who has taken part in the Fringe Festival since the year after it's creation. He has written or co-written over 30 produced plays! It is a huge honour to produce one of his shows.
London has been so good to us and we are sure it will continue to show its love throughout the Fringe. Break legs everyone!
-B
---Other shows to check out at the London Fringe: "Minding Dad", "Grumpus Gets Revenge", "Be A Man", & "Danny and the Deep Blue Sea"