reviewvancouver: Dancing with Rage

The best thing about this one woman play is its Canadian content. It screams Canada, as seen through the eyes of many of the characters that Mary Walsh has created. The audience is brought front and centre with our heritage, our culture and our uniquely Canadian experience.

Mary Walsh, in the guise of the characters she has created, grabs the attention of the audience from the very beginning and keeps that attention until the end of the 90 minute performance. Through Walsh’s characters, we are taken on a personal journey. It is a journey that each member of the audience can relate to in some way.

Walsh has a way of tapping into the Canadian psyche and because of this she connects with her audience. From the commonality of the simple frustrations of daily modern life to the complexities of ageing, relationships, belonging and loss, Walsh acts as a barometer of our Canadian consciousness.

The dialogue is fast paced, witty, political and personal. It is a staccato performance that is brilliant in its delivery. One wonders how Walsh can keep all these characters with their individual idiosyncrasies and voice intonations straight but she does it with torpedo like velocity.

Mary Walsh is the founder and creator of This Hour Has 22 Minutes. Since its start in 1992 it has continued to this day to inform its viewers of the newsworthy events that make up our Canadian experience. It does this with a tongue in cheek, saucy attitude that is completely Mary Walsh. The characters that entertain in Dancing With Rage have delighted viewers of This Hour Has 22 Minutes over many years.

Mary Walsh was born in St. John’s, Newfoundland. As a Newfoundlander, she comes from a long standing tradition of political engagement with an eye on the foibles of what it is to be human. Mary Walsh pokes fun at us as she delivers some poignant lessons. There is truth behind the humour. Don’t miss this opportunity to see what makes us tick. Eh!