Ottawa Fringe: Beyond the Pale. Skillfull storytelling but more contexte needed,

In Beyond the Pale, Californian theatre artist Sherri Rose weaves an intriguing tale about three generations of European Jewish immigrants to the US and the experiences, both positive and negative, that they have there. Rose’s show, however, is not an ordinary narrative of migration, for a supernatural entity known as the ‘Evil Eye’ accompanies the family from the old country, the Pale Settlement of Imperial Russia where Jews were allowed to live. In Jewish tradition, the Evil Eye is a figurative bad angel which induces personal unhappiness and envy at the success of others. The effect of the Eye on various members of the family is explored throughout the play.

As a storyteller, Rose is both masterful and engaging; in the guise of the Evil Eye, she makes wry and amusing observations such as when she muses on leaving her work to the internet, the “perfect torture device” in the modern age. Portrayals of the first-generation immigrant sisters, Ida and Yetta, are also warm and well-realized. That being said, I do feel that the play could benefit from a more linear structure, since the narrative jumps from the current generation of the family to Ida and Yetta and back again. Such a structure would allow for more context to be given about the nature of the Eye, which would be useful for a diverse audience. Nevertheless, Beyond the Pale is a worthwhile performance which takes storytelling back to its naturally dramatic roots.

Beyond the Pale continues until June 23 at the ODD Box in Arts Court Theatre as part of the Ottawa Fringe Festival. For information and tickets, see https://ottawafringe.com/shows/beyond-the-pale/