Vancouver Fringe Fest review: The Water is Wide makes the most of its story

In Randy Rutherford’s autobiographical monologues, which draw on his experience living with profound hearing loss, there’s often a song that holds the heart of the story. Here, “The Glory of Love” charts the inevitable ups and downs and give and take of a love relationship, in this case a triangle of sorts involving Randy, his girlfriend Sophie, and “Roxanne”, the personification of the mental “stenographer” who helps him to interpret the indistinct sounds he hears when people speak. The imaginary Roseanne is jealous of Sophie and can’t stand the vegan diet she’s trying to foist on Randy; the conflict peaks on a road trip, where a series of misunderstandings lead to hurt feelings and false accusations. The details of this story aren’t especially dramatic, but Rutherford mines them to good comic effect.

At the Waterfront Theatre on September 8 (5:55 p.m.), 10 (7:45 p.m.), 12 (8:25 p.m.), 13 (5 p.m.), 15 (12:15 p.m.), and 16 (8:30 p.m.).