Review: KITSUNE at the Ottawa Fringe Festival

OTTAWA

Kitsune is the newest brainchild from the creators of Kimiko, a past hit at the Ottawa Fringe Festival. Part storytelling, part puppetry and part circus act, Kitsune has been promoted as one of the few family-friendly shows at the Fringe.

Kimiko (Kaylie Kreatrix) meets Kitsune, a yōkai, or fox spirit. We learn that the yōkai is a shape shifter and may take on many different traits and personalities, including that of a friend or a trickster. Kitsune are thought by the Japanese to bring good luck. When Kitsune accidentally loses its hōju no tama, a glowing pearl that represents its soul, Kitsune asks Kimiko to help find and return it. Along the way, Kimiko navigates a river, finds the entrance to a cave, and even meets a dragon.

What I love about Kitsune is that Kreatrix and co-creator, Grahame Cuthbertson have crafted an enchanting children’s story but have made it equally charming and educational for adults; Kreatrix enunciates Japanese words slowly and explains their meaning, context, and historical background.

Read my full review here.