Fatherly

Bill Mullins, the wise and caring father of Fringe favourite Sam Mullins, sounds like a wonderful guy. His future "funeral story," as told by the younger Mullins in Fatherly, a new one-man show at the 2014 Next Stage Theatre Festival, however, is still a work in progress. Mounted in the Factory Theatre Antechamber, the 30 minute peformance comes across more like a live reading of an unfinished script than a stage-ready production. While Mullins is undoubtedly a gifted storyteller, his tale of a resourceful business man with a knack for delivering sage advice at just the right moment, doesn't hold together—a fact the author himself seems uncomfortably aware of. That being said, Fatherly is rife with quirky annecdotes and heartfelt humour that will appeal to many. Given time, this show has the potential to be great.

Fatherly runs until January 19 at the Factory Theatre Antechamber as part of the Next Stage Theatre Festival. Visit fringetoronto.com for more information and to buy tickets.

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