Show: 20
Title: Daddy Issues
Category: Drama / Physical Theater / Storytelling
By: Pretend Productions
Written by: Allison Vincent
Location: Phoenix Theater
Summary: A solo show about Allison's journey guiding her father through the end of his life, and their complicated relationship leading up to it.
Highlights: Developed a couple years ago with Pillsbury House + Theater, this is an excellent example of a very personal solo storytelling show that's funny, moving, and relatable. Using her skills in physical theater and transforming into multiple characters, Allison conveys her experience as her father's guardian/caretaker/health care advocate. Suffering from a myriad of health issues after years of hoarding and ignoring his health, she moved him from Illinois to Minnesota and advocated for him as he entered hospice care in a facility, despite the fact that their relationship was... complicated. She tells the story in a convivial way, voicing multiple other characters, with excellent choices for music during scene transitions and one very funny radio driving scene. The set is charmingly constructed of cardboard boxes, with some fun cameo voiceover performances. The story is well constructed and delivered with ease, true emotion, and vulnerability, and doesn't leave a dry eye in the house. Allison is always a highlight of any show she's in (including as company member of two of my favorite Fringe-born companies Transatlantic Love Affair and Four Humors, and her recent foray into directing), and it's a joy to get to spend these 50+ minutes with her and get to know her a little better, and watch her use all of her skills in telling this personal story.