Snake Oil

Black Sheep Theatre—Rachel Browne Th. (Crocus)

One of the great things about the Fringe is that you get to meet a sampling of theatre artists from across the country. This year I am fortunate to be billeting Zach Counsil, who performed in what I would call the definitive production of Daniel McIvor’s Wild Abandon a few years ago.

This year he and Hannah Gibson-Turner are offering us Jayson McDonald’s Snake Oil. It will cure what ails you, and it will take you into eternity with a smile on your face.

Counsil does a verbal tour-de-force as the smooth-talking pitchman, and Gibson-Turner is charming as his not-so-able-and-willing assistant.

It starts out as farce and at just the right moment takes a quick but sure step into darkness.

I’d like to have seen this play in a thrust stage environment, but that’s a small thing. Snake Oil delivers everything it promises.

Kevin Longfield