Review: HERETIC Misses a Few Targets

Perfect? Far from it - but the Soup Can Theatre's latest production, HERETIC still showcases the beauty of indie theatre. Framed as a one-woman show, Sarah Thorpe both directs and stars in this new retelling of the story of Joan of Arc. The 50-minute production highlights the complex aspects of Joan, while speaking in a contemporary and modern tone.

The (very) minimalistic set, and music draws the audience to Thorpe's fantastic performance. The production truly is a vehicle for Thorpe to showcase her acting chops, seamlessly transitioning between characters between scenes. Her confidence and authority echoed throughout the room. The symbolism used with the set and props offer a unique form of storytelling.

However, the production does miss a few targets. Trying to squeeze the entire story of Joan of Arc into a 50-minute one-woman show is tricky. It was a trying effort, but I can't help but feel that the emotional gravity of her story wasn't 100% captured. Perhaps it was the modern language used, or some of the out-of-the-box tactics, like pretending to be a radio announcer - but it felt like a small piece was missing.

Regardless, heading over to the Soup Can Theatre is a guaranteed night of gritty, ambitious and raw theatre. I cannot wait to see what their next production is!