I’ve been lucky enough to see some great shows at Fringe so far. Unfortunately, I didn’t feel that way about The Editor. There were some great parts to the show that could have been developed further to form a more cohesive storyline but sadly I felt like it fell flat.
The show starts with Arthur (Eric Double) trying to edit a story he has written about meeting a girl named Sophie. He explains the editorial process to the audience, which is quite funny, and then sits down at his computer and starts to tweak his write-up.
His story is projected on a backdrop onstage and we can see him type as he re-works the piece. This goes on for quite a while with his back turned to the audience the entire time. He even asked more than once if we were bored and I wanted to jump up and say yes.
There are a lot of references to existential philosophy that don’t really seem to go anywhere or have any relevance to the rest of the play.
More than halfway through we finally meet Sophie and things get slightly more engaging. Now we see the story of how they met acted out for our benefit but at this point we have heard the story a few times and it just adds to the repetitive feeling of the show.
I felt like the play tries to take us on a journey through this couple’s relationship and tell the story of how they fell in love, but somehow there is a lack of any substantial development. I’m still left feeling exactly the way I did at the beginning; uninterested.
That said, The Editor, is by the winner of the 2010 Toronto Fringe Playwriting contest, so it’s possible that I’m missing something. Or maybe I’m just so tired of staring at my computer all day that I don’t want to see a show that forces me to do exactly that.
Details:
The Editor is playing at Factory Theatre till July 17th.
Written by: Jonathan Kline
Directed by: Coleen MacPherson
Starring: Eric Double and Madison Walsh
Stage Manager: Kalina Janik
Projections Design and Installation: Joe Rabbito
Photos by: Mina Momeni
Produced by: Jonathan Kline, Lauren Wood, and Natalie Kulesza
Performances:
50 min.
Fri, July 8 7:15pm
Sun, July 10 5:45pm
Mon, July 11 3:00pm
Wed, July 13 2:15pm
Thu, July 14 4:15pm
Fri, July 15 5:30pm
Sun, July 17 9:00 pm
Tickets:
Individual Fringe tickets are available at the door for $10 ($5 for FringeKids), cash only.
– Latecomers will not be permitted.
– Tickets are also available online at fringetoronto.com, by phone at 416-966-1062 or in person at The Fringe Tent (behind Honest Ed’s). Advance tickets are $11 – $10 + $1 convenience fee.
– Money saving passes are available if you plan to see at least 5 shows.
Sorry the show left you feeling flat, Sonia. Our audience seemed to enjoy the show, including Glenn Sumi of NOW magazine, who tweeted: “[The Editor] was a nice surprise. Love discoveries. That is what this festival is all about.”
Also, an audience member who none of the cast or crew knew posted the following comment on our facebook page:
“Saw this play today, and thought it was one of the best fringe plays I’ve seen. You guys did a wonderful, wonderful job. Eric Double was fantastic, and the play really did me in emotionally. Amazing work, I will do my best to see it again!”
The Editor is only a “relationship” story on the surface. At it’s core, The Editor is about control. The play asks: what happens when we try to control the fruits of our creativity? What happens when we apply that same process to the people we love and to our own memories?
There’s an existential dynamic that plays itself out in almost every action of The Editor. The Editor looks at how we define ourselves in relation to the judgment of the other (in this case, the audience). How does the gaze of an audience (or a lover) affect our own self-concept?
Also, for the sake of accuracy, Arthur is played by Eric Double, not me (Jonathan Kline), and although I won last year’s 24-hour playwriting contest, it wasn’t for this play.
Thanks for your review, and I’m sorry you didn’t enjoy the show.