Hinterland by Saskatoon’s Rogue Souls Productions is an ecological nature infused anthology documentary style with vignettes and puppets performed by an ensemble cast.

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  The production is co-directed and written by Graeme Hopkins and Soni Clark and stars an ensemble cast in various roles.

  Anjelika Vinuyu as ecology biologist William Beebe and British surveyor Cartwright, Samantha Hinz as Peter and Erica, Matthew Antsey as Aristotle and Batty, Rishika Chokshi as Irene and Aaron Thomas, Charlie Bettker as Barton and Sigurour and Mobina Hassan Zadeh Gondezli as Newton.

 

  The crew included Rishika Chokshi, Ruchi Patel, Jency Patel, and Oluwatamilore Famuyima.

               

  This was a really well thought out and relevant piece of theatre that explores natures and society’s ecological effect and impact that never felt it was preaching or talking down to the audience. The documentary style was clever and unique.

 

  The show was engaging, informative and educational for the over thirteen rating and was interspersed with voiceovers of news broadcasts, interviews and animal puppets throughout.

 

  Specifically the monologue performed by Hinz where she talked about life and nature was funny, passionate and heartfelt.

 

  The writing of the various vignettes and monologues interspersed with the voice overs and broadcast by Hopkins and Clark was incredibly thoughtful and timely, the production overall just needed to be a little more polished.

 

  The direction by Hopkins and Clark and the cast was good, however the production could have been workshopped more just to make the production a little more fully formed and tighten some of the vignettes so the production can fire on all cylinders but for both a Fringe show and first attempt it is an enjoyable piece of theatre and with just a little bit of tweaking could transform into something wonderful.

 

  Hinterland is playing at The Cosmopolitan Seniors’ Centre from August 1-10th at the 2024 Saskatoon Fringe Festival.  Tickets can be bought online here, the box office on site or at the venue itself.