Arts Club Theatre Company
Blind Date created & produced by Rebecca Northan

Dates and Venues
ON TOUR January 2 – February 3, 2019 at various theatres throughout the Lower Mainland

Director Rebecca Northan Associate Producer Marcie Januska Stage Manager & Sound Improviser Meredith Johnson

Reviewer Ed Farolan


This is the kind of play where you expect something different every night. In fact, in the programme notes, director/creator Rebecca Northan said that some audience members think the blind date in the show is a plant in the audience, but she says it’s not so. Greg who was Mimi's blind date at the opening in Surrey seemed almost professional in his improvs. He described himself as a mechanic for RVs. He didn’t sound like a professional actor, but he seemed quite relaxed delivering his lines and going along with the dialogue. Really convincing!

And apparently, you have a different Mimi and blind date for subsequent performances. Mimi is played by three different actresses who alternate playing the role: Lili Beudoin, Tess Degenstein and Ali Frogatt. Degenstein played Mimi in Surrey Arts Theatre's opening night show.

Before the show started, artistic director Ashlie Corcoran was mixing with the audience together with Degenstein asking if we were interested in being the blind date in a future performance, but I declined as I was a critic and I’d stick to reviewing the show.

Well, the show was something quite unique, and apparently, the company has performed successfully more than 750 times in the past 10 years all over Canada, the US, off-Broadway and London's West End.There’s even a version called Queer Blind Date. I wonder when they'll do this.

It was an entertaining show. Lots of laughs and a standing ovation and cheers especially for Mimi and Greg during curtain call.

© 2019 Ed Farolan