Carleton students will be premiering a theatrical production of The Yesterday Show at the Ottawa Fringe Festival on July 17.
Written and directed by Carleton student Sam Pomerant, this show will be part of the lineup for the festival’s grand, virtual reopening.
The Ottawa Fringe Festival is a platform for independent performing artists to showcase their work. According to its website, fringe festivals began in Scotland in 1947 and allow audiences to appreciate artist’s work in an accessible, affordable way.
Following the cancellation of the festival in 2020 due to COVID-19, the festival has returned this year in an entirely online format. According to the festival’s FAQ page, audience members who purchase tickets to a show this year can view it as many times as they wish within a seven-day period.
The Yesterday Show tells the story of a late night show that gets an unexpected visit from a time traveller called Zed.
The rapport between Zed and the show’s host, Sam Carter, becomes a dialogue about comedy that Pomerant explained could be interpreted by the audience in multiple ways.
“[It turns] into a discussion about comedy, whether it should be [interpreted as] an absurdist distraction from all the bad things or a serious tool of social discussion,” Pomerant explained.
While writing the show, Pomerant said he was influenced by well-known late night shows and hosts.
“You can see [late night influence] in the show. There are clear references to David Letterman, Jay Leno and Johnny Carson,” Pomerant said.
Pomerant cast himself in the role of Sam Carter.
“In terms of modern hosts, the character I play is very similar to Jimmy Fallon and James Corden,” he said.
According to Pomerant, the show opens a dialogue about the role of comedians in shaping the American political sphere.
“In [American] politics this fall, there was a lot of discussion of comedy under Trump and Biden, and does comedy have a responsibility to stop someone like Trump?” he said.
Pomerant explained both Zed’s and Sam Carter’s opinions are pertinent to the audience’s understanding of the show.
“Both characters’ arguments have a lot of merit. Neither one is 100 per cent wrong or 100 per cent right. That’s the beauty of the show. Both of them, you see what they believe. If it’s right or wrong, that’s up to the audience,” he said.
Anna Paquin, also a Carleton student, plays Zed and co-stars alongside Pomerant in the show.
According to Paquin, her inspiration for playing Zed came from prior acting roles. Before The Yesterday Show, she played Forever Irene in Concord Floral and Lydia Bennet in Pride and Prejudice. Both of these previous shows were put on by Carleton University’s Sock ‘n’ Buskin theatre company, where Paquin also starred alongside Pomerant.
Paquin said this show provides a platform for her and Pomerant to convey a meaningful message to their audiences.
“I would say that Zed is a very fiery, ambitious character,” Paquin said. “She’s got a lot to say and I don’t agree with all her methods but ultimately her message is one that I agree with: the value of speaking out.”
Due to the virtual nature of Fringe Fest this year, this is Paquin’s first time performing a recorded play.
“I found there was less pressure. We performed it three times […] Every time, I didn’t really feel that there was a big difference,” she said.
All of the shows at Fringe Fest, including The Yesterday Show, were selected through a lottery system that’s open to the public for entries.
“You, your mom and Keanu Reeves all have the same chances once you get your name into the hat,” explained Patrick Gauthier, the festival’s director.
The Ottawa Fringe Festival is also a registered charity that gives ticket revenue to its artists.
“We draw from the hat, those artists pay a small fee to participate and then they get 100 per cent of the ticket sales,” Gauthier said.
This year the Festival introduced a new “pick-your-price model.”
Audience members may choose to pay the standard $15 per show, or they can pay $25 or $50 to better support the artists, Gauthier explained. He said this is intended to support performing artists amidst a pandemic that has put a pause on live shows.
According to Gauthier, Fringe Fest gives “complete artistic freedom” to the artists. He said that in doing this, the festival builds a space to produce theatre that may not succeed in mainstream venues.
“The only caveat is, it has to be legal,” he added.
Fringe Fest runs from June 17-27 and the full lineup of shows as well as ticket information can be found on its website.
Featured image by Sam Pomerant.
