Review: (Toronto) The Adversary (Fringe)

Grave Side
by Lisa McKeown
@lisammckeown

Part of what I love about the Fringe is the fact that we get to see a load of contemporary theatre, and a lot of contemporary Canadian stuff at that. Andrew Bailey’s one-man show brings us the life of the dark underworld of drug addicts and church graveyards. The show incorporates a number of interesting characters, with Bailey alternating between narrator, playing himself, and portraying the colourful array of characters that he encounters during his stint as a groundskeeper of a church in Victoria.

This piece explores the struggle of a man who is clearly trying to mediate two worlds, all with a dying faith and an anxiety disorder. I actually wanted to hear more about the anxiety he alludes to, and how that coloured his relationship with his employers, but the focus is mainly on Bailey’s relationship with two of the other characters. 

Bailey’s acting is sharp and polished, his character’s voices and body language distinctive and engaging. In fact it was so good that I wanted to see more of the characters and less narration at certain points where it seemed more like an hour long monologue than a play. But an entertaining and moving monologue, nonetheless. Definitely one to have on your list!

The Adversary is at the Toronto Fringe