Delirium (Martin Dockery) 2017 Toronto Fringe Review

Photo of Martin Dockery from his show Delirium

Martin Dockery’s one-man show, Delirium, is playing at the Toronto Fringe Festival. It showcases his masterful storytelling, volcanic energy and inspiring spirit. It’s a powerful reflection on love, loss and our place in the universe, and an absolute joy (JOY!) to watch.

Dockery weaves together a narrative based on a collection of his life experiences. In incredible detail, he recounts how he met and wooed his wife, how he spontaneously leapt into marriage on a Sunday afternoon, how he actualized a dream to open a “restaurant” in the Nevada desert, and how he journeyed to the Mexican Highlands in search of monarch butterflies.

His stories are certainly very funny, but they’re also much more than that. They’re affecting, they’re relatable, and they offer thoughtful reflections on the vastness of the universe and our tiny, human size in comparison.

An expert wordsmith, Dockery tells his tales with an impressive pacing and crafty, and colourful wording. The imagery he conjures is mighty strong, and I found myself visualizing the characters in his stories easily, as though they were friends of mine. He uses both his voice and body as instruments; his voice is a zigzagging torpedo, his body a wiry, contorting animal.

Perhaps most magical of all is Dockery’s pure, raging conviction. He is a staunch defender of the beauty of love and the wonder of life, and he’ll shout down your throat to make sure you hear it. He shares openly and speaks with a joie de vivre that is utterly contagious.

Delirium is a marvelous one-man meditation. Suffice to say: I recommend this show if you’re a human being (so that should cover most of you! Go!).

Details

  • Delirium plays at the Tarragon Mainspace. (30 Bridgman Ave.)
  • Tickets are $12. The festival also offers a range of money-saving passes for serious Fringers.
  • Tickets can be purchased online, by telephone (416-966-1062), from the Fringe Club at Scadding Court, and — if any remain — from the venue’s box office starting one hour before curtain.
  • Be aware that Fringe performances always start exactly on time, and that latecomers are never admitted.
  • This venue is barrier-free. The designated accessible seating is in the middle of the auditorium.

Performances

  • Thursday July 6th, 10:30 pm
  • Saturday July 8th, 01:45 pm
  • Monday July 10th, 08:30 pm
  • Tuesday July 11th, 07:00 pm
  • Wednesday July 12th, 12:00 pm
  • Friday July 14th, 04:15 pm
  • Saturday July 15th, 04:00 pm

Photo of Martin Dockery by Bill Kennedy

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