Escape into the Mysteries of a Circus with ‘Admit Two’
Content warning: ‘Admit Two’ discusses sexual assault. Sexual Assault Centre Kingston provides Crisis and Support Services and Counselling to survivors of sexual assault. More information can be found here.
A new drama by Chloë Whitehorn, Admit Two is a one act play presented by Bottle Tree Productions that uncovers the dark, hidden secrets behind a touring circus. Upon the beginning of the show, audiences meet Dante (Craig Norton), a knife thrower for the circus who has recently been released from prison, only to find that he has been replaced by a young and feisty aerialist, Glimmer (Syd Chinnick). He sees that Glimmer has been taken under the wing of Mama Rhea (Rosemary Euringer), a maternal figure whose partner, King, runs the circus. Refamiliarizing himself with his old home, Dante encounters his old flame and clairvoyant, Persephone (Shannon Donnelly). Her harsh demeanor towards him and the others drives the story along as the cast uncovers long-held secrets and attempts to fix the many things that are broken.
There is a winding path for audiences to walk to see the show, through a side door of St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church as the show’s team guides you to the performance space. But the moment you step inside, you are entirely immersed into the world of the play. Admit Two takes place in a room with few seats, with a stage that is transformed into a dressing area within a circus tent and dim lighting to convey the tone of the show before actors appear. Brightly coloured cloth backdrops, clothing racks bursting with costumes of every hue and texture, a busy dressing table, and anything else one could find backstage at the circus all litter the stage, making it feel lived in and real from the beginning (set design by Anne Marie Mortensen). The addition of music by local artist Savannah Shea before and after the show is another wonderful touch, a perfect fit with the folksy, troubadour-like characters who inhabit the world of the show, while uplifting Kingston musicians.
Norton opens the show with a captivating monologue, reminiscing on both the grandeur and devastation that befall those within the circus. He brings an energetic start to the evening and moves into navigating the show’s primary conflicts with ease. His banter early on with Chinnick is charming and his chemistry with Donnelly’s Persephone develops beautifully over the course of the show. Chinnick is resolute and quick-witted as Glimmer, donning several costumes (provided by the cast, under Mortensen’s design) throughout the show, coming and going from the dressing room between performing in the circus. Each time she steps on stage, she showcases her character’s humour well by injecting key moments with a strong sense of sarcasm and attitude. Donnelly is grounded and powerful as Persephone, cementing the character as complex and sensitive, despite her hard exterior. Euringer is sweet as Mama Rhea, having lovely moments with Chinnick throughout, but goes on to reveal a fiercer side later in the evening.
Whitehorn’s writing is enticing, keeping me on the edge of my seat all evening. There’s a poetic style in the opening monologue and lively dialogue throughout, then a sprinkling of darker, complex themes in the latter half of the show. She does an excellent job making use of a singular set over the course of the show, and cleverly arranges the character’s entrances and exits from the space in order to best convey the story in a smaller setting. I particularly enjoyed how King haunted the narrative throughout, never seen on stage, but is an essential part of the play’s plot.
Mortensen, also the director of the production, makes excellent use of the space, ensuring each set piece has been well placed, never making the small stage feel overcrowded—a powerful feat in this quaint theatre. Each blocking moment was carefully thought out in order to give actors who entered next something natural to engage with on stage, helping the show feel clean while keeping its “everyday” quality alive.
All in all, Admit Two is filled with all the best parts of a local show: a strong design vision, a cast with chemistry, and a clear idea and outcome for audiences to take home with them. With a runtime of just over an hour, it is the great way to step out of this harsh winter and inside the bustling world of the circus, if only for a brief moment.
‘Admit Two’ is presented by Bottle Tree Productions and runs until February 22, 2026. Tickets and more information can be found here.
