  
Nobody cares about the law that has made criminals of 600,000 Canadians
By Brian Carroll The show starts late. The lights finally dim and we're treated to overly long audio-only excerpts from Reefer Madness. Oh god, why am I here? It's bright and sunny outside and now I'm trapped in here! I can tell; it's going to be one of those earnest, well-meaning, politically correct tracts about condemning generations of youth to etc. Can't I just promise to reread the LeDain Report and escape? But then Russell Bennett comes on stage and begins to win me over. As he adds character upon character, I become more and more impressed with his acting ability. He's easy on the tech because he's also his own sound effects machine. And the script that he co-wrote with Gillian Stevens-Guille also begins to win me over with its creativity and humour. In the end Bennett has managed to present 25 characters with great facility, while providing a fresh look at an old debate.
The play could be tightened up some, paring a few minutes from
its 80-minute running time. But this talented performer and
these writers deserve your precious time, and the handful of
dollars that will help them to continue their Fringe Festival tour.
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