What: Cougar Annie Tales
Where: St. Andrew聮s School Gymnasium (1002 Pandora Ave.)
When: Aug. 25, 26, 27; Sept. 1, 2
Stars: 4
You can study history books all you want, but nothing quite brings the past to life like a dramatic performance.
In Cougar Annie Tales, Sooke聮s Katrina Kadoski introduces us to one of the province聮s most resilient characters by assuming the role herself. Cougar Annie, born Ada Anne Jordan, survived to 96 on an isolated piece of land near Hesquiat Harbour, 50 km north of Tofino. The woman聮s tough as nails 聴 outliving four husbands, birthing 11 children and killing more than 70 cougars. But as Kadoski guides the audience along her life path, Jordan聮s loneliness, humour and heart of gold make her a truly endearing character.
This is the kind of show that聮s made for Fringe and will appeal to a wide audience. It聮s multidisciplinary and well paced 聴 Kadoski tells her story by performing real-life letters between Jordan and others, talking directly to the audience as various characters, as well as song. Her folk ballads intimate some of the more tender emotions of sadness and loss that Jordan herself may not have spoken about directly. And the subject matter is what the musical form is made for 聴 she covers everything from dissatisfying husbands, an unforgiving life in the wild and the heartbreak of losing a child. All the while, projections of historical photos, letters and documents fill out the narrative on screen.
Kadoski is a confident performer who has created a well-polished cultural addition to Vancouver Island聮s heritage.
