Review: (Toronto) A Side of Dreams (SummerWorks)

I Dream a Dream
by Winna Tse
@tsewinna

A Side of Dreams, brought to us by Paper Canoe Projects, is indeed like a dream. It is about an emotional journey of one's spiritual awakening through the world of dreams.  A single mother, Katherine, searches for her cultural identity, as a Métis, through the spirit of the Dreamcatcher. Visually spectacular, the lighting, projection design, and rich sounds greatly enhance the overall essence of a dream like state. The feeling is ethereal and unusual where at times the plot can be a bit perplexing to follow just like many dreams. 


Jani Lauzon, who wrote and acted in the play, is amazing as Katherine/Pudlums/Fog Man Giant. She floats effortlessly through aerial hoop, dancing, and passionately portraying her many characters. Her gift for accents did not go unnoticed and kudos to John Nelles, an esteemed dialect coach for ensuring that. Likewise, her colleagues Ingrid Hansen and Trish Leeper are equally wonderful in their roles. Leeper is strong, poised and powerful in her role as Spider Woman whilst Hansen captures the spirit of an angry and passion-filled daughter. Both are excellent puppeteers as they flowed together with Lauzon across stage with one single puppet. I must give huge props to the amazing crew that put together such a solid production. Everything, from the aerial rig design and construction to the little spider frolicking across the stage, was meticulously crafted. A Side of Dreams is unlike many dreams I have but if I could, I hope I can dream a dream just like it. 

A Side of Dreams is at SummerWorks