by Élaine Charlebois
My Dad’s Deaths is an entertaining storytelling piece that explores the dynamics of a father-son relationship. By taking us through a series of stories in which Jon Bennett recounts the near death experiences of his father, Ray, the writer and director succeeds in delivering a funny yet genuinely nostalgic performance. One of Bennett’s definite strengths was his ability to draw in the Petit Campus audience and to create an intimate atmosphere, leading some audience members to even let out a few sympathetic “aaaww’s” when a story in which a childhood Bennett was particularly humiliated was told.
Though My Dad’s Deaths was generally engaging as a performance, there were nevertheless moments that seemed a bit disjointed from the overall theme of the piece. While Bennett managed to produce some good laughs by periodically reciting his own poems and the ridiculous Facebook status updates of a friend of his parents’ foster child, their connection to the overarching father-son premise was a bit unclear. In spite of the mildly disconnected nature of the show, My Dad’s Deaths was definitely an enjoyable experience.
Rating:
that's a sexy review I must say.
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