Saving Cain

Just incredible! Truly breathtaking from start to finish! When you attend shows at Fringe, you don't always assume you're gonna see something that is main stage material. And by that, I mean this is a show that I would see outside of Fringe as a mainstage show for any theater company. The writing is just lovely. Kozak creates such deep and wonderful characters, that you feel for each of them. He gives you the levels right there in the writing. And then the actors take hold and you are just swept away! Every actor in this piece are at the top of their game as they lead you on this journey through some of the toughest issues that people face when raising a child as a single parent. But not only that, this play touches on bullying, hom... full review

There are only a handful of “can’t miss” writers at the Fringe, and Aaron Kozak is definitely on that list. His latest, Saving Cain, is an extremely well crafted masterpiece that shines new light on the religious right and those that can’t meet their standards.... full review

What this show, written by Aaron Kozak, offers proves very compelling indeed. No less important, it surprises. Saving Cain was described to me as the story of a rebellious teenager trying to deal with his born-again Pentecostal control-freak of a mother. I expected one of two things: Either a dark comedy or a polemic against a certain brand (at least) of Fundamentalist Christianity. Maybe both. I got something a lot better. The pair of mother (Leah Verrill) and son (Lenny Hernandez) play out a story that kept setting up plot formulas that then veered away into something more real. And by real I often mean more touching, profound, and compelling. For one thing, that boy is worse than sarcastic. Not a bad kid, far from cruel for ex... full review

Saving Cain is a human-centric multi-layered story with a tremendous amount of depth it simultaneously provides a commentary on our current geopolitical climate, dealing with the struggles of a single parent household, addiction, losing yourself in religious fanaticism, and ultimately finding your own strength and moving towards your path to peace. There is quite a bit to unpack in the exceptional show which runs a little over an hour and a half. I will do my best to summarize my thoughts. ... full review

My favorite play of the fringe season so far! The story pulls you in right from the start and the acting is superb. The characters are very well developed, and I like how the play unfolds over a long period of time. It covers a lot of themes like religion, helicopter parenting, homosexuality, politics, and drug addiction. It has serious moments but very funny ones too. I highly recommend it.... full review

Nobody handles serious material better than Leah Verrill. She is quirky and funny one moment and can be emotionally raw with the flip of a switch. This is the kind of role that is built for her. The supporting cast is rich with talent and keep the play moving forward. David Chrzanowski brings the best out of his cast, knowing when to pull back the reins and when to let his actors fly. Aaron Kozak's script is ambitious, juggling together the two stories of his main characters. Saving Cain is a lovely drama.... full review

A stirring and emotional piece about how far someone will go to take care of the ones who they love, and when faith isn't enough to get someone through. Excellently acted and written. ... full review

I was brought to this show without any idea what it was about, and WOW, that is probably the best way to watch this absolutely deep, intricate and powerful piece. Whilst it hit very close to home for me, it was beautifully executed and the writers and cast were phenomenal.... full review

RECOMMENDED... full review

This show dealt with overlapping issues of addiction and religion in a fresh way, taking some surprising turns. I particularly appreciated moments where characters made decisions we didn’t expect and that the arc of these decisions bent toward justice. ... full review