What I liked
Sam takes us into the world of her 14-year old self on a ‘’mission’ with her church and a journey into finding where she truly feels safe.
I loved the characters we meet along the way, I loved her use of the space and how beautifully she fills it…I love her original songs! A dear friend after the show kept saying ‘she needs to write a musical’ and I couldn’t agree more. Her songwriting is unparalleled. I also really enjoyed the humor and crowd work, Sam is a master of comedy.
The show also takes us into the world of an ADHD brain, and we are blessed with all the superpowers that lay within. (I mean at one point she is singing AND playing sound bowls to the music, her ability to multi task is a wonder)
The world she builds is lush and vivid and we want the little squirrel that is fearless, feral, bold, and wise little Samantha to be safe to be herself.
it is incredibly moving to bear witness to her journey between worlds as the bridge of identity as an Indigenous mixed teen, and by the end I was moved to tears as we sang to her, calling the land back for her and her grandmothers.
What I didn't like
This show is by far one of the best solo shows I’ve ever seen at Fringe.
My overall impression
Samantha is a revelation. Her storytelling is transcendent and multi-sensory, her writing fluid and poetic, and her heart brave and open. What a gift to witness her work for the second year in a row at Fringe.
