I would be lying if I said that I didn't tear up at the end of Falling Awake. I would be lying if I said that I struggled not to break down crying on the walk home afterwards, as the events of the last hour sank in.
This show was brilliantly crafted. On the surface, it was light-hearted and funny, but much deeper down it was heart breaking. Through the whole show, the audience was made to wonder if the woman on stage was finally awake, or was this another dream? The contrast between dream sequences and reality is difficult to portray on stage, but this lingering question added to the subtle tension that made this movement piece truly captivating.
Nayana Fielkov and Matthew McCorkle exhibited incredible chemistry on stage. Their familiarity and comfort with each other's bodies and their abilities to communicate wordlessly was astounding. It was as though they could constantly feel one another's presence. Individually, they were hypnotic to watch. Together, their combined energy was as immersive as it was entrancing. They made deliberate, controlled movements seem accidental. The concept of each dream or memory we witnessed were all quite simple, but they were executed with skill and grace that was truly exceptional. Details like the transitions between the different parts of their show were seamless in every aspect: the static from a radio became raging winds became snoring.
McCorkle's battle with a storm left me wondering why my own clothes and hair weren't being whipped and torn by the wind. Feilkov's struggle with a mosquito made me wonder how many more might be cursing the room. The moments Feilkov was alone on stage made me desperate for her to have the company of her partner, but the times they were together were bittersweet. Every detail of their show was meticulously planned and well thought out, with music or sound in the background that would drop away at just the right moment to create a deeply profound silence.
There is no doubt in my mind why this show has won the Liepzig's PALAZZO Award and Hollywood Fringe's BLAFF Award. It is a beautiful, sometimes funny, sometimes heart-wrenching work of art that deserved the standing ovation it received last night. It's playing at the Mission Santa Cruz from Wednesday to Sunday. I can't recommend this show enough. See you there.
Presented by RAGMOP Theatre, Falling Awake plays at Mission Santa Cruz, located at 60 Rachel O. at the following times:
- Thursday June 16 from 19:00
- Friday June 17 from 16:15
- Saturday June 18 from 19:00
- Sunday June 19 from 15:00
-------
Erica Bridgeman is part of CJLO’s Official Fringe Team covering the sights and sounds from the 2016 St-Ambroise Montreal Fringe Festival. She also hosts The F Hole every Monday afternoon from Noon – 2pm ET, only on 1690AM in Montreal and online at CJLO.com.
