Review: Black Deer in Blizzard, at the Hamilton Fringe Festival

by Lynn on July 20, 2021

in The Passionate Playgoer

On line—on Demand- from the Hamilton Fringe Festival until July 25, 2021.

Written/directed by Steven Griffen

Lighting by Nathan Bruce

Cast: Gwen Gorman

Megan Legesse

Tom Lute

The described premise of the play is so intriguing: “An ambitious reporter. A crumbling news station. A dream interview. A destructive secret that threatens it all!…Black Deer in Blizzard is a story exploring trust, ambition, truth and what we’re willing to do to achieve our dreams.”

Beverley Campbell has been toiling at the poky little news station in this poking little town for five years, but dreams of getting hired by CNN and moving to New York City. She thinks her time to move up might be established by an interview she will have with a reclusive but celebrated young artist. But things are not what they seem. Does she act with integrity and cancel the interview and cancel her chances for CNN? Or does she act ruthlessly and go ahead? Her colleague Tim, the Station Manager, always went for the truth. Tim and Beverley are at odds. Who will win?

Playwright Steven Griffen has created a fascinating premise for a play with lots to chew over regarding integrity, the news, ambition and truth in spite of the many holes in the story and the execution of the production: the stakes are not high with Beverley’s decisions because it’s obvious from Griffen’s writing of her character, that she’s a mediocre reporter and a weak interviewer and would never be hired by CNN; Tim leaves in disgust so one wonders who is filming the interview if there were only the two of them at the station. Still, the premise leaves one to ponder larger issues outside of this play.  

Produced by Fly the Nest Productions.

Plays at the Hamilton Fringe until July 25.

boxoffice@hamiltonfringe.ca

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