Erika the Red
by Tara Travis & Ryan Gladstone		Monster Theatre - Vancouver, BC
 http://monstertheatre.com		V.14 - The King's Head Pub 
An epic one-woman Viking saga from the twisted minds of Monster Theatre.

When Erika's peaceful village is ransacked and burned to the ground by Vikings, she sets out on a LEGENDARY QUEST for REVENGE! But how does an innocent farm girl wreak havoc on some of the fiercest warriors of all time? By becoming one of them.
From the creators of legendary Fringe hits Juliet: A Revenge Comedy and Til Death: The Six Wives of Henry VIII.

Past reviews:
5 STARS Must see -Toronto Guardian
5 STARS Get your tickets before this one sells out -Liz Nichols

Cast:
Tara Travis

Director:
Ryan Gladstone

   		Show Info:
60 minutes
Genre:
Play-Comedy

Audience:
Mature

Coarse Language, Violent Content, Graphic Violence, Strobe Lights

Thu July 18 8:00 PM
Fri July 19 7:00 PM
Sat July 20 5:00 PM
Sun July 21 6:00 PM
Mon July 22 8:00 PM
Wed July 24 6:00 PM
Thu July 25 8:00 PM
Fri July 26 5:00 PM
Sat July 27 7:00 PM
Sun July 28 2:00 PM

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

Erika the Red

Monster Theatre—The King’s Head Pub

Oh my dear Tara, we missed you so! Travis is my favourite Canadian actress and I have really missed her. When you hear the other actors speaking of how excited they are to see her, that’s high praise indeed. Monster Theatre and the esteemed Ryan Gladstone as producer, never disappoint!

Her amazing physical ability fills the stage as she carries the enrapt audience along on this hilarious historical adventure. Her costume is perfection! One young English scamp can do it all and become more of a Viking than any man!

It’s always nice to end the show with an excited and delighted audience trailing out, chattering in amazement at what they’ve just seen. My favourite so far. Don’t miss it!

Lisa Campbell