Erika the Red

Monster Theatre—The King’s Head Pub

The fame, the talent and the legacy of Monster Theatre, Ryan Gladstone, and Tara Travis cannot be overstated. They are legends on the Fringe circuit deserving of greater accolades than anyone could fit into print. But Erika the Red just didn’t work for me.

Tara is an incredibly skilled performer – that is obvious from the moment she takes the stage. So I don’t understand the choice to spend literally half the play making funny faces and speaking in gibberish. It wasn’t initially a bad choice – the first time we met the four vikings she showed us all four of them in order, speaking in gibberish and using very particular mannerisms, she established each of them as the comic relief and we all chuckled. Then the second time one of the vikings spoke, she again showed us all four of them in order, speaking in gibberish with the same mannerisms, and she showed how consistent her characterizations could be. The third time one of the vikings spoke, she again showed us all four of them in order, speaking in gibberish with the same mannerisms, and she established that it would be a running gag. Am I repeating myself? Because the 4th through nth times she did it we were checking our watches.

The conclusion and the build towards it really could have been something epic. It was unfortunately given a third of the attention it needed in favour of showing us what each vikings mannerisms would like while on a boat, then while confused about something, then while on a boat again, then while making friends, then while on a boat again. All four of them, in order, every time. The combination of talents involved in this production give it real potential, but the show needs work.

Shawn Kowalke