I had the joy of happening to be visiting Winnipeg when Sick + Twisted were hosting their most recent cabaret installment, something I’ve sadly missed in previous iterations. The evening combines short works of a variety of styles, from stand up to mime to musical theatre, all organized around a theme. This time, it was Sex & Sexability, highlighting stories about interactions with, discoveries of, and challenges with sexuality.
Standouts for me were Adam Schwartz with his wonderfully dry humoured standup about dating with autism, and the hilarious Ophira Calof with her songs about love (including it happening for her EMT and Nurse, over her head - Literally). Calof was an absolute delight, one of those performers who you know from their first moment on stage will be astounding — and she did not disappoint. I also really enjoyed Andrea von WIchert’s monologue which came toward the end of the evening, focusing on the challenges of maintaining a relationship when one has mental illness and little interest in sex. The selection of pieces, and smooth transitions between scenes, along with seeing actors crop up in one another’s pieces, really helped provide a cohesive feel to the cabaret as well, a quality this style of event can lack.
Sick + Twisted are dedicated to showcasing the work of performers and writers with disabilities, and to creating spaces that are safe and welcoming for performers and audience members alike. In this instance, it included ASL interpretation for every scene, as well as audio description. Offering these sorts of supports is unfortunately rare in Canada, so it was refreshing and exciting to see them offered.
I definitely recommend checking out the next Sick + Twisted cabaret - and hopefully a show, too!