Toronto Fringe Review: Tortoise, the Hare, and the Truth

Seeing the title Tortoise, the Hare, and the Truth, one may think that the show at hand is for a child, but while the former does use the classic Aesop Fable of The Tortoise and the Hare as its premise, it strays from it in very distinct ways. It’s quite adult and subsequently has an 18A advisory warning, but that makes sense coming from a group who describe their selves as Toronto’s freakiest clown cult. Deviating from a faithful and verbatim retelling of the classic, the script for the Toronto Fringe performance was purported to be stolen from a high-school drama class and as expected, hilarity ensues. 

From the moment Selly Kim and Victoria Watson Sepejak took the stage, giving an introductory disclaimer as to what was to come, it was clear we were in for a great and collaborative time. What other production would allow two audience members to have the script and assist the cast, should they not remember a line of dialogue? Naturally, each interjection of, “Line!”, was made by the actors during times where it was most comical. The boundary between the stage, performer and spectator is playfully broken early on, cancelling any notion of the fourth wall, signaling just how unserious and enjoyable the show would be.

The first few scenes open with dramatic music that directly contrasts the silliness shown. This juxtaposition of what is heard and seen aids in creating an atmosphere where the comedians are free to delightfully twist their retelling in a new way. Kim and Sepejak, joined by castmates Vinay Sagar and Joshua Bonnici mime shared births, positioned and split on far ends of the stage. With the spotlight alternating between the birth of the tortoise (played by Sagar) and the respective hare (played by Bonnici), the crowd’s attention was easily captivated by the back-and-forth visual comparison. These scenes – while void of words – were not lacking in any way, as the physical comedy was not only a riot to see, but successfully conveyed the narrative.

Tortoise, the Hare, and the Truth has everything, including a built-in intermission lead by a town crier, played by Gordon Neill who significantly added to the antics each time he was on stage. There’s even a dance break where Goldy Yason joins Kim and Sepejak. During this portion, the audience was called upon to verbally interject with shouts of the words, “Too harsh!”, if they thought it applied to what the actors were saying. Anytime the audience is empowered to join in on the theatrics of a performance, it only adds to the fun; they’re not just viewing something, but actively being involved in it.

There is no shortage of laughs leading up to and reaching the highly anticipated animal race. Sagar and Bonnici throw their selves into the physicality of their characters, making simple acts like moving in slow motion and running hilarious spectacles to behold. It’s clear how much fun they and the rest of the ensemble were having, and that certainly translated to those watching. In this version, the story ends not with the race itself, but years ahead in the future, on a sweet and unexpected note. It’s an ending worthy of a feel-good, positively absurd and highly physical comedy, courtesy of some of Toronto’s finest clowns. 

Tortoise, the Hare, and the Truth closed July 11 at the Toronto Fringe.