Playwright Madi May pictured in Edmonton on Thursday Aug. 8, 2024. May is set to put on a one-person show called Fantomina at the Roxy Theatre, opening Aug. 17 during the Edmonton International Fringe Theatre Festival. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jason Franson.
EDMONTON — This year’s Edmonton International Fringe Theatre Festival showcases an impressive array of performances, with a notable emphasis on solo shows. Among these is Edmonton playwright Madi May’s modern rendition of "Fantomina," a novella by English writer Eliza Haywood from nearly 300 years ago. This adaptation is one of at least 20 one-woman shows featured in the festival.
In both the original and May’s adaptation of "Fantomina," the story revolves around a woman who disguises herself multiple times to make a man believe he’s encountered four different women. May, when asked about the feasibility of such a story in contemporary times, noted, "I don't think plays have to be realistic. Theatre often involves suspending disbelief, and that’s part of what makes it enjoyable."
May chose to adapt "Fantomina" into a solo performance to stay true to the novella’s narrative style and because she has always wanted to perform alone. She acknowledged the challenges of solo acting, calling it daunting yet exciting. "Organizing a fringe performance is tough with a full crew, so doing it alone makes it even more challenging," she explained.
Another solo performer at this year’s festival is Laura Piccinin from Ontario. Her show, "GO," recounts her experience hiking the East Coast Trail in Newfoundland and Labrador. Piccinin’s performance is based on her daily journal entries from the 19-day hike, which was three times longer than any she had undertaken before. Despite the physical and emotional struggles she faced, Piccinin hopes her audience will leave inspired to embrace personal growth. “It was chaotic and difficult, but it made me a better version of myself,” she shared.
Piccinin, like May, feels the weight of managing a solo performance. "My main concern is figuring out how to attract an audience," she said. This concern is shared by festival organizers who have faced a significant funding shortfall this year. Megan Dart, the festival’s executive director, revealed that the festival needs to raise $300,000 by the end of the event, with just over $100,000 collected so far.
Dart expressed gratitude for the support received so far but acknowledged the financial difficulties faced by arts organizations post-pandemic. If the funding goal isn’t met, the festival might need to scale down in the future. “We’re working hard to find cost-saving measures without affecting the festival experience,” Dart said.
The 43rd annual Edmonton International Fringe Theatre Festival runs from Thursday until August 25, featuring over 200 productions across various venues in Edmonton’s Old Strathcona neighborhood.
