Heroine

Heroine shouldn’t be as fun as it is. Two women, one a pirate, and a former British officer, are captured and awaiting execution. The former is the straight man, so to speak, bereft of both humour and irony. The later is a reprobate. She has the personality of Nick Nolte’s 2002 mugshot, and while the story isn’t anything to write home about, the manner in which it is told is. The fight choreography deserves its own separate review. The swordplay that is peppered throughout the performance is dynamic and crafted with a careful eye for detail. Nathania Bernabe (the pirate) and Jackie T. Hanlin (the former officer) sell every blow, which are all delivered alongside what seemed to be a string quartet’s rendition of ACDC’s “Thunderstruck.” Heroine is funny, it’s sad, it has ambition, and perhaps most importantly, it has genuine character. Two women awaiting execution shouldn't' be this enjoyable, but it is. -Lucas Provencher