Stage/Toronto Fringe 2024

What: Tape
Where: Al Green Theatre, 750 Spadina Ave.
When: Fri., July 5 at 9:45 pm; Mon., July 8 at 5:45 pm; Tue., July 9 at 7:30 pm; Wed., July 10 at 2:00 pm; and Fri., July 12 at 3:45 pm
Highlight: Jada Rifkin’s grounded performance
Rating: N (out of 5)
Why you should go: A throwback to the 2001 movie adaptation featuring Ethan Hawke and Uma Thurman

TWO OLD high-school friends — drug dealer Vince and wannabe film bro Jon — drink beer and get high in a motel, which is nothing out of the ordinary until Vince’s ex, Amy Randall, is brought up in conversation. Well, not only Vince’s ex … it’s uncovered that Jon also dated her and, potentially, sexually assaulted her.

Written in 1999 by Stephen Belber, I can see this script working under the right conditions. Its simple language lies atop a deceptively complicated situation, as undercurrents of motivations and truths versus lies leave the audience guessing what is “real.” However, in the hands of director Lucas James, this script feels far outdated and bordering on offensive. Blocking is absent of deliberate thought, and lines are played at face value by Joel Pettigrew (John) and Thomas Sarigiannidis (Vince). It creates a painful-to-watch experience of two men insensitively discussing a sexual assault. Jada Rifkin’s more solid performance in the latter half as Amy is a breath of fresh air, but unfortunately not enough to save this production for me.

Set, sound and costume design were simplistic to nonexistent, and this show includes some of the worst fight choreography I’ve ever seen. I get the appeal of the script, but this dark drama simply misses the mark for me. Please include a trigger warning for graphic discussion of sexual assault before the show.