REVIEW: WAITING ROOM

There are few places anyone would want to be forced to spend time in quite like a hospital waiting room. In this new play from Mylo Doyle comes an emotional and relatable story of two women anxiously anticipating news about their ill fathers during an ice storm. As they wait, they connect and disconnect to each other over their personal beliefs and face the inevitable together.

Dana Leaman, Rebecca "Johnny" Casalino and Nathan Lise all perform this piece with a real sense of compassion and authenticity. Leaman and Casalino are well-matched as two very different people facing the same situation and skillfully navigate their stages of grief. Lise offers a solid portrayal in the supporting role of an exhausted, authoritative night shift nurse.

There are some vocal projection issues at times but overall, all three actors perform well and showcase the realities of what it feels like to wait for answers and absolution. Leaman is particularly effective with her initial reaction to dreaded news and brought unexpected tears to my eyes. Casalino is excellent at portraying a pessimistic young adult who is out of their depth emotionally and yet, still finds moments of humour and even catharsis to share with Leaman.

Waiting Room is a strong, contemplative piece of theatre at this year’s Fringe that takes its audience on a relatable journey through grief and what happens after. Definitely worth checking out. Mind the Timbits of Catharsis in the front row.