Cynthia Dunsford

When I lived in Peterborough, there was a live improvised soap opera presented every Friday evening called “East City” (named after the neighbourhood of the same name). The soap opera revolved around a fictional family named “the Dunsfords” and drew upon the acting talent of a revolving stable of local and national actors. At its worst it was boring and fluffy; at its best it was some of the most wild, synergistic theatre I’ve ever had the privilege to witness.

That the fictional family was called the Dunsfords makes the fact that Cynthia Dunsford, who is Cynthia Dunsford in real life, is also, in a fictional sense, Parkdale Doris. The fiction/non-fiction line is swooshing all around and I can’t keep anything straight.

In any case, Cynthia has a weblog, which I found only because it linked back here. Although we’ve never met, I think we share an overlapping ironic sensibility.

Which reminds me: I caught the tail end of a piece on CBC Main Street about a similar improvised soap opera starting up Monday at the Arts Guild — can anyone fill in the details, as I missed most of them…

Comments

Rob MacD's picture
Rob MacD on August 9, 2003 - 15:04 Permalink

I guess I can add some details, since I’m in the show:

The next 3 Mondays at the ARTS Guild we are performing 3 more episodes from the improvised soap opera Enemies. (3 episodes were performed last summer) I am not sure of the ticket price, but the shows begin at 8pm. Performers are: myself, Nancy McLure, Joey Weale, Carly Martin, and returning from last year, Graham Putnam.

Cynthia Dunsford's picture
Cynthia Dunsford on August 11, 2003 - 21:02 Permalink

I’m confident Peter’s description of the improv soap opera, “East City” (“At it’s worst it was boring and fluffy; at it’s best it was some of the most wild, synergistic theatre….”) is of no relation to how he might describe me. Pretty confident, I think.