Stroke of Luck – a funny personal work in progress

Stroke of Luck is a one man show written by and starring Jacques Lalonde. It is part stand up, part TED talk, part catching up with an old friend with a little bit of revival thrown in.

I have to confess I have never seen a Jacques Lalonde show. I know he is one of the faces of the Fringe having been involved both as a performer and volunteer at each of the 30 years of Fringe in Vancouver and I learned in the line-up how beloved he is by the Fringe community. And I can see why - he is engaging and high energy, a hard working performer who is particularly good at improv when the unexpected happens. It is fantastic how he lights up and gains even more energy with each laugh from the crowd. It is clear that he is a seasoned performer.  And he is a joy to watch.

There is so much potential Stroke of Luck to be truly outstanding, Jacques’ story is about perspective and positivity and love and friendship and humor but as a show Stroke of Luck is more of a work in progress. The show is intended to be a message play but it didn’t have the feel of a play. There isn’t a clear arc or a tight cohesive narrative. There were stories told that, Jacques admitted, had little or nothing to do with this stroke or recovery.  There was also confusion in the audience as to when the play ended - the audience began applauding more than once thinking that the show had concluded when it hadn’t. And some of parts of the story are so conversational that they ramble on a little and feel like a family dinner conversation rather than an edited and tightened tale for the stage.

But were were times in the show that actually wanted more of the story. Times when I saw tears welling up in Lalonde’s eyes and I felt myself wishing he would explore those emotions with us further but they were mostly acknowledged through a joke or the story simply moved on; if Jacques decided to go there more fully when those moments arrive that it would make Stroke of Luck stronger, even more relatable and personal to the audience. Like, in the strongest and most powerful and memorable moment in the piece, when he realizes that he may be the 1 of the 1 in 6 who dies of stroke.

As a personal journey in one year to get from where he was to performing a one man fringe show again– the show is an incredible accomplishment and the product of the luck he recognizes as well as a lot of determination and hard work. And I have no doubt that as an experienced artist and performer who was working the show on stage that night, each night will be better than the last.  His story is remarkable and important and worth telling. It just needs a little more honing to make it a great play too.   

PS If you are going to see Stroke of Luck, I recommend that you arrive early to see Jacques dance dressed in a giant pink brain suit.