There are hip indie coffee shops and then there are hip indie coffee shops that also host immersive theatre productions. And that’s the case with Dundas West’s Morning Parade coffee bar, which will play host to Performance Review, a new immersive theatrical experience from Outside the March (OtM), which is described as a bold, darkly comedic, and deeply unsettling journey through power dynamics in the workplace.
This one-woman show, written and performed by award-winning playwright Rosamund Small, unfolds in the intimate setting and was inspired by real events. The play marks Small’s return to the stage after seven years in television and education—and her debut as a live performer.
“Performance Review unfolds at Morning Parade Coffee Bar, for an audience of only 30 people. I love when we get the opportunity to connect with audiences in such close proximity,” said Mitchell Cushman, artistic director of Outside The March. “The smallest gestures can take on huge significance, and every moment of the experience is being thought through in those terms – each flourish of the cappuccino machine or ring of the door chime becomes integral to Rosamund’s storytelling.”
At its core, Performance Review is an examination of power, privilege, and vulnerability. The story kicks off with an unsettling act: a customer tipping a young barista an escalating amount of money—first $15, then $100, then $150—despite her knowing she’s not that good at making cappuccinos. What follows are seven intertwined vignettes chronicling the worst days at seven different jobs.
Small’s storytelling is immediate, unfiltered, and deeply personal. “There’s no intermediary,” she explains. “It’s honest. When I go to the theatre, I want to feel like the artist is really there with me. Like we give a shit about each other. And I want to have a good time. You’ll have a good time!”
Outside the March is no stranger to pushing theatrical boundaries, and Performance Review is no exception. Under the direction of Cushman, the production transforms a working café into a stage where the audience becomes more than just spectators. Coffee is served in real-time, blurring the line between fiction and reality.
“Working site-specifically always has its bumps in the road. For Performance Review, we’re learning what it means to work “in rep” with the daily activities of a coffee shop – one that’s open seven days a week until 6 p.m.,” Cushman explains. “Normally, once we head into the final stretch for one of our projects, we’d be working 10-12 hour days to tech the piece. But this time around we’ve had to be particularly creative and compact in our thinking – since we can never be in the space for more than four hours every evening.
Performance Review has already created a buzz, selling out ahead of its opening night. Performances run from Feb. 27 to March 23 with doors opening at 7:30 PM. Organizers are working to add more seats, but for those who missed out, a waitlist is available.
For ticket availability and more information, visit Outside the March’s website.
