Review: Actors! Canadian Actors Up Close and Personal (The Cheshire Unicorn Theatre Co.)

Get up close and intimate with two Toronto actors in a candid Q&A on stage at the Winchester Kitchen

I went into this show not really knowing what to expect, given the title and all. Moreover, the show had labelled itself, “part panel discussion, part scripted performance”. I love improvisation and find an actor’s ability to candidly respond to the unexpected, amusing and impressive. Apparently, the actors and I were in the same boat!

This type of alternative and original theatre is quite common for The Cheshire Unicorn Theatre Company, which prides itself on producing theatre that is out of the ordinary.  It is exactly the strong and brilliant concept of Actors! Canadian Actors Up Close and Personal  that gives this company its edge. 

The performance takes place at the Winchester Kitchen; an intimate pub-like atmosphere, with a friendly staff and “All you can eat” mussels on a Thursday night. Coupled with their famous fries were two aspiring Canadian actors ready to share and bear.

Stephanie Seaton and Tim Walker were the featured actors for the evening. Entering the intimate stage, set up very much like an episode of Inside the Actor’s Studio, the two performers exuded charm, confidence and candidness from the start.

The show, created by Melissa Major, begins with introductions from actors Seaton and Walker and a short interchange. Soon after, they sit down in the hot seat, with a jar of questions to be answered.  Each actor was given one minute to respond to a variety of questions such as “most embarrassing acting moments”, to “worst auditions”, with audience interaction in between.

Responses were humorous, honest and heartfelt. At one point, the audience had opportunities to ask questions of their own such as “what were some of the worst in between non-acting jobs you’ve ever had?”

One of the most memorable performances of the evening was courtesy of a surprise guest.  Without giving too much away, it became a typical “battle of the actors” vying for the most attention!

Actors! Canadian Actors Up Close and Personal produced by The Cheshire Unicorn Theatre Company is a piece of fun, innovative, and unconventional theatre that will leave you guessing between what is scripted theatre and unscripted drama.

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Photograph of Tim Walker provided by Joss Photos