By Mira Saraf

Will Game Seven of the Stanley Cup finals ruin this Bridezilla’s big day? That is the question that hangs in the balance in Wedding Night In Canada. Staged on a set composed of a few chairs and a makeshift door, the three-person cast must dialogue back and forth to come to a resolution of sorts.

Wedding Night in Canada is one of those shows, which would have been better if it had been based on a true story – because it would lower the expectations of plot complexity. However the un-likeliness from what I’ve heard of the Leafs reaching the Stanley Cup finals coupled with the unlikelihood that it would coincide with someone’s wedding make this impossible.

The 45 minute show in the mostly empty freezing cold theatre felt quite long mostly because the three characters appeared to repeat the same conversation approximately 15 (very rough guess) times during the performance. Few new variables enter into the equation, but we do get to learn a bit about the wedding planning and small tidbits about the characters.

Maybe it’s because I’m not a hockey fan, or I come from a culture where weddings are a week long, but I wasn’t really convinced by or sympathetic to her predicament. I was nonchalant as to whether she would succeed in saving her wedding night or not. The highlight of the show for me was the gay best friend.

I wouldn’t necessarily hold the actors accountable. The characters and the story itself were a little flat and one-dimensional. Most of the jokes were flat and predictable, and elicited little more than a giggle from audience members.

It is hard to tell if the story has potential. I feel with more characters it might have been a stronger piece, or perhaps a few more elements thrown in the mix. The script needs to bring the characters to life a little bit and then it wouldn’t feel as long. Although this play has it’s moments of being cute, I wouldn’t rush out to see this one.

Details

– Wedding Night in Canada plays at St. Vladimir’s Theatre
– Playing one more show, July 10 at 7pm
– All individual Fringe tickets are $10 ($5 for FringeKids) at the door (cash only). Tickets are available online at www.fringetoronto.com, by phone at                   416-966-1062, in person at The Randolph Centre for the Arts, 736 Bathurst Street (Advance tickets are $11 – $10+$1 convenience fee)
– Several money-saving passes are available if you plan to see at least 5 shows

– Photo courtesy of Wedding Night In Canada Website