REVIEW: THE OUTLAW AND THE SON

Set in an otherworldly place, a weathered cowboy comes to terms with his past. Written, directed, and performed by Gatineau-based Tony Martins, The Outlaw and the Son is a combination of one-sided conversations and western rock and is joined by Hamilton-based guitarist Andrew Aldridge who adds to the atmospheric but frequently deafening soundscape.

The sound levels are this show’s main problematic area. It is jarringly loud in the Westdale space with the combined efforts of two skilled but overpowering guitar players and excessive reverberation during the songs. Some time spent leveling out the sound would assist in the overall enjoyment of the piece as there is great potential to make this cowboy’s tale flourish. Martins also sounds strained in his vocal delivery and it’s hard to tell if that’s simply his cowboy persona overtaking his natural voice or not.

Every year audiences are reminded that Fringe is all about taking a chance. One must respect the creative concepts here from an artist’s perspective and hope the problematic areas of the show improve over time. Unfortunately, The Outlaw and the Son may not rope audiences in until those efforts are made.