CLOWNS, MOUNTIES, KINGS AND PEROGIES
by AMY BARRATT

June 14-June 20.2007 Vol. 22 No. 51
Montreal Mirror

Probably the most fully realized show I’ve seen so far is Deep Fried Curried Perogies. Less tightly written than either Scaramouche or Dickens, it is presented with great joy and flair by Edmonton’s Michelle Todd. The premise is that Ms. Todd finds out she and her boyfriend are expecting a baby, and this triggers some soul-searching about cultural identity. You see, Todd is of Jamaican and Filipino extraction, while her partner has British and Ukrainian roots. The title is her speculating about what food their child might bring to “ethnic day” at kindergarten. Unlike some other one-person shows, this one is not just a word bombardment. Todd puts to use an amazing ear for accents; there are bits of physical comedy, and all those childhood dance classes are used brilliantly in a couple of dance montages. Thoroughly enjoyable. (Venue 7, Portuguese Association of Canada, 4170 St-Urbain)

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