Rob Kwade and Diana Rasing star in Seducing Father Brian.
Seducing Father Brian is a terrific premiere Fringe Festival production for everyone to enjoy, not just recovering Catholics. You can even get in on the act for half price admission to any matinee by dressing as a vicar or a tart.
Hell Mary! This is one fun show. Can a man of the cloth find happiness with a burlesque dancer? Oh ye of little faith.
Playwright Dianna Rasing has mastered that balance of natural dialogue and trying to tell a story. Opening night audience reaction was one of pure delight even if Father Brian might have had some impure thoughts. I must confess I don’t often laugh that loud but this show’s wit is heaven sent.
Described as The Thorn Birds meets When Harry Met Sally.
Rasing has acted, directed and produced amateur theatre for twenty years. She has toured with PTE and earned Best of Fest for Veronica’s Room.
Inspiration for Seducing Father Brian happened for the professional sign language interpreter, mother of two and now playwright while at a party in Baker Lake, Nunavut.
Rob Kwade is Father Brian or Bri as Kat calls him. His nerdy portrayal of innocence and downright goodness gives one faith in men again. Not to typecast him, but this is the Jack Lemon lookalike’s fifth role as a priest. You just can’t buy that kind of sincerity.
Kwade has appeared in numerous productions with Postage Stamp Players, Tara Players and has directed for the Chekhov Fest, Coward Fest, Ayckbourn Fest, and the Fringe.
These two local stars deserve five stars for their sophisticated romantic repartee. Their banter is believable and their mime scene speaks volumes for their talent. The chemistry between the protagonists makes it most “relationshippy.”
The pacing is perfect, the double entendres flow fast and furious, and the storyline is worthy of real romantic angst. It would be a sin to miss this show.
Venue #8 – The Rachel Browne Theatre – 211 Bannatyne Ave – enter from parking lot on Main St.
