FRINGE 2015: Do I have to do everything my f*****g self?

Do I have to do everything my f*****g self?

A phrase that all of us can admit to muttering under our breath during the least proud moments in our lives, when an inflated sense of self-worth inevitably collides with the perceived incompetence of others.

It must have been the universality of this phrase (aka DIHTDEMFS) that Regina —from the Toronto-based musical duo Light Fires —considered when naming her spoken word one-woman Cabaret show. The phrase too often aimed at under-appreciated Tim Hortons employees . It is also that phrase that sparked my interest into watching this performance.

Regina struts onto the stage emanating a grandiosity and celebrity status posturing that could only be rivaled by a Mariah Carey from the mid-1990s, as she announces to the crowd that "You need me and you don't even know it yet".

This fierce red-blooded diva knows her self-worth and doesn't have to put up with anyone's shit, but for the time being until she gets that recognition, she will be grudgingly have to do "Everything her fucking self".

In her pursuit throughout the play to earn the fame that she so rightfully deserves, Regina warns she may have to sit on Miley Cyrus in a desperate attempt to get her to play her songs on the radio.

Despite her larger-than-life diva persona, her witty, sardonic take on pop culture, sex, relationships, and Ani Difranco cover bands often verge on self-deprecation, offering hilarious insight into the far-from-glamorous aspects of the Tinder generation.

The strength of Regina's performance lies directly in this ambivalence of pride and humility: being a pop culture fanatic, yet sustaining an ironic detachment, providing comic and dark insight into postmodern existence, but not indulging in the cynical.

This unique disposition ensures a dialogue that feels authentic, as her witticisms never indulges in the cliché. She allows herself to shift between different facets of her personality from her on-stage diva character and her Light Fires band persona. Autobiography and fantasy merge as she leaves messages on Sarah McLachlan's answering machine about her animal cruelty commercials, discusses coming out of the closet in small town Ontario, and her intentions to fight Miley Cyrus in a boxing ring.

Do I have to do everything my fucking self? is structured with karaoke style musical intermissions singing songs from Light Fires while doing high kicks and the splits, with brief snack breaks and even poetry reciting. Putting this into perspective, this play encapsulates a post-modern ennui of a generation caught between a vapid instant gratification culture, and a society that praises egotism and celebrity-ism.

Catch the play's last performance this Thursday June 18th at 6:45pm.

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Danilo Bulatovic is part of CJLO's Official Fringe Team covering the sights and sounds from the 2015 St-Ambroise Montreal Fringe Festival.