The Persistent Stain
Created by Margo MacDonald and Geoff McBride with music by Nick Di Gaetano | Produced by Parry Riposte | Origin: Ottawa, Ontario
La Nouvelle Scène – Studio A
Show Details
What do you do when you’ve followed your dream but the dream is no longer enough? “The Persistent Stain” is a second-wave Canadian punk band that’s been slogging it out on the small touring circuit for decades. Now they find themselves in their 50s still pursuing the dreams of their 20s. As they struggle through yet another gig in yet another nowhere town, Joey Blank and Maxie Staines ask themselves: Should they stay, or should they go?
Content Notes
- Fog / Haze
- There are conversations about suicide and self-harm
- Flashing Lights
Showtimes
- Friday, June 196:00pm
- Saturday, June 206:30pm
- Sunday, June 218:30pm
- Wednesday, June 248:30pm
- Friday, June 265:30pm
- Saturday, June 2710:30pm
Maxie and Joey are the only ones left alive from the original band; they travel with the ghosts of their former bandmates. “Aristotle’s Dick” was their only hit song, and now a younger, hipper band wants to do a cover of it for a major motion picture. The pair have to decide if giving up the song also means giving up the dream. A comedy which also hits hard, asks tough questions, and touches on soft spots—the show includes 5 original songs played live.
7 responses to “The Persistent Stain”
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The Persistent Stain is a deftly-written, deftly-acted show that pulls off the difficult task of conveying the feeling of running out of time. I LOVED sitting in the tension between ghosts of the past and the ghosts onstage. Catch this show!
Really well performed, relatable, funny, impactful. You can’t go wrong!
They’re back! And just as persistent. This wild ride through the stalled careers of two spun-out, almost-made-it-rock-and-rollers will have you smelling stale beer in bars long before the last chord reverberates through the house.
The Persistent Stain: absolutely spectacular outfit design, this show is amazing, especially since this show has its own original music. My personal favorite part of this show was the lighting design, it very much matched the mood of each song and where they were. The acting was phenomenal, my only critique was they didn’t use the f-bomb as much as I was expecting.
This is one of the best shows I’ve ever seen at Fringe. If you’ve never seen Ottawa theatre legend Geoff McBride swearing a blue streak at OTHER Ottawa theatre legend Margo MacDonald, arguing about whether a piece of equipment is broken or not (it wasn’t), I’m sorry to tell you this but you haven’t really lived at all.
Fair warning, I’ve been hearing rave reviews of this show since its first outing, so I was expecting a lot. Having finally seen it, I rather think it was undersold. Margo and Geoff are a true powerhouse pair of creative talents and this show is a real reminder of exactly why they are so beloved by the Ottawa theatre community. A wittily written analysis of the cost of persisting in a world that will always need resistance. If you see one show this fringe, make it this. Trust me, otherwise you’ll be hearing about it for years after!
Anyone subjected to revival gigs of aging punks trying desperately to hang on to their former glory?
Persistent Stain (great name) is at the proverbial career crossroads, with only two remaining members and struggling on the small club circuit well into a three decade career, the Stain have an offer for their music to be used in film. The classic sell-out conundrum: to release their art for monetary gain and destroy their reputation, or carry on with the not so glamorous has been circuit.
As Maxie Staines, Margo McDonald, in Joan Jett black wig, tempers her considerable acting chops to perfectly embody the foul mouthed lead singer looking to a possible payday. As Joey Blank, Geoff McBride is her long time goofy partner determined to hang on to his romanticized punk credibility.
The play is a live gig, interrupted by set breaks where the duo clash over rider beers. It is the classic Canadian punk band story, offering some laughs, some clashes and plenty of music. Ear plugs available at the door.
– hipCRANK