Review: Confessions of a Redheaded Coffeeshop Girl (Seren Lannon/Theatre After Secrets/Black Sheep Theatre)

Rebecca Perry dazzles in her one-woman show at the Storefront Theatre in Toronto

confessionsofredheadcoffeeIt’s been just over a year since I finished my four-year stint as a barista at a Second Cup in Montreal. It’s no wonder that Confessions of a Redheaded Coffeeshop Girl, playing until Sunday at the Storefront Theatre, resonated so well with me. It’s complete proof that all quirky coffee shops are the same, from the employees to the owners to the hipster customers.

Joanie Little is a twenty-something fresh out of college and on the verge of discovering her next move. She works in a coffee shop to pay the bills, to expand on her anthropological leanings and to figure out exactly what she wants out of life.

It’s a simple show that broaches a relatable subject, and spans just under an hour. It’s a one-woman, cookie cutter Fringe piece, which is perfect since Rebecca Perry –playwright and star—is touring it on the Fringe circuit come (official) summer.

The script is a bit contrived at times, some jokes fall a little flat, and it’s not the kind of show that will make you think extra hard about your life decisions. However, Rebecca Perry is an absolute delight to watch and right from the very start I wasn’t disappointed that I’d agreed to spend the next under-hour in her company. She is charming, quirky, bright and bubbly enough to keep you afloat without overflowing the bathtub.

She also sings exceptionally well and I think I’d like see her on stage next at a concert for which she was headlining. The transitions between scenes are punctuated by some folky, blues riffs with guitar accompaniment.

Confessions of a Redheaded Coffeeshop Girl is feel good fun. Perfect for non-theatre folks who might be considering taking a leap into the Fringe (specifically the Winnipeg and Edmonton festivals in this case).

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Photo of Rebecca Perry by Bryan Zilyuk.