Playing Oct 5, 2024
Georges P. Vanier Secondary
4830 Headquarters Road
Courtenay, BC
Tickets available through Eventbrite
Who needs the Bard of Avon when Dave Morris is around? After a successful run at the Victoria Fringe Theatre Festival, he’s confirmed his latest work, 52 Stories, will not be shelved, but rather be transformed into an autobiography, and he’ll bring this show back upon request and quite possibly when his book is ready to hit shelves!
Although most of his improv and Paper Street Theatre productions are offered to residents of Victoria, BC, first, there’s a handful of acts that do tour, depending on when he’s been asked to guest lecture elsewhere or hired to. His stage presence can only be described as down to earth, and the tone he uses to engage audiences with his tales is melodic. Whether he uses that in his magic act, or during an improv moment, it all depends on engaging the audience in amusing ways. And when he’s a hard core nerd, that helps a lot too!
With his latest, he’s telling a story with a deck of playing cards. What he’s doing with it is slightly different from other acts I’ve seen live or explored in a documentary. Tim Motley created a new show where, as Barry Potter (review), he tells the story similar to Harry Potter’s using a deck of cards, and in the documentary Lost in the Shuffle (review), it tells the sordid history of Charles the VIII as cards are revealed. Each card has a story associated with some aspect of his life. However, to draw that Jack of Hearts means knowing where it exists within that deck!
That’s where sleight of hand is important. As a stage magician, I’m sure some trickery is also involved. Without it, to embarrassingly draw the wrong piece of cardboard might cause problems, but instead, some deception might be required. However, for Morris’ show, what he’s doing is to prove he has the memory of an elephant! As he amazingly beats the odds of being approximately 96% accurate at every show, the tales he includes are based on what he recalls from his life. That’s because each card holds a memory of some important event that’s defined him. Each tale is important.
As I wanted to challenge myself to remember this show weeks after seeing the final performance during Victoria Fringe Festival, I’m glad my memory on what transpired isn’t gone. This show is also about why family legacies matter. In Morris’ case, its about his large and wonderfully eccentric and loving family. I’m also sure that when it returns in the future, this talent will have more stories to tell. Usually these acts have an established beginning and end. As for what can be offered in-between and in what order, that’s anyone’s guess.
5 Stars out of 5
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