SunsetGun Productions
Best Female Performer Award,
2008 Victoria Fringe Festival
“The three characters are devastatingly well-drawn and they evolve in unexpected directions, exploding out of stereotypes like shedding a dress. Superbly performed, AfterLife comfortably moves through the comic and painful. An absolute must-see show.”
— E.G. Anderson, Monday Magazine, Victoria, BC, August 28, 2008
(out of 5)
“Candy Simmons, a New Yorker who is premiering the show for the first time in Victoria, does a pitch-perfect job as each of the women...It's mesmerizing to watch.”
— Steve Carey, Times Colonist, Victoria, BC, August 30, 2008
“[Simmons] is a true commander of the stage. Every word brims with subtle humor and universal meaning. AfterLife boasts a successful mix of entertainment, personal reflection and emotional exploration. But before you get too caught up in your own personal musings, make sure to keep your jaw in check. Chances are, you'll find yourself leaning forward with your mouth looking like a venus fly trap.”
— Amanda Ash, Times Colonist, Victoria, BC, May 29, 2009
“AfterLife is an exhilarating reminder of the kind of experience the Fringe can deliver...Simmons plays conflicting qualities ― such as tenderness and murderousness ― against one another with an extraordinarily deft touch.”
— Colin Thomas, The Georgia Straight, Vancouver, BC, September 4, 2008
“The success of [AfterLife] lay in Candy Simmons’ phenomenal acting and the tightness of the writing. Simmons’ performance was exceptional...an outstanding piece of theatre. Virginia Scott’s efficient direction gave Simmons ample room to work and technical elements such as era-specific sound and photos were effective in supporting the journey. The show, co-written by Simmons and Chris Van Strander, was impeccably structured with enough twists and turns to keep us on our toes. Enthralling, funny, smart, and poignant, AfterLife is an aria that you don’t want to miss.”
— Rachel Scott, plankmagazine.com, Vancouver, BC, September 9, 2008
“Simmons is an exceptional actor and a remarkable story-teller. There were moments during Ruth’s poignant story, when I could feel the hairs standing up on the back of my neck...[she] plays conflicting qualities in the three women with appropriate empathy and an uncommonly deft touch. I recommend seeing this extraordinary work before it’s scaled up to a much larger production with a higher ticket price.
— John Jane, reviewvancouver.org, Vancouver, BC, September 7, 2008
1/2 (out of 5)
Best English Production Finalist,
2009 Montreal Fringe Festival
“Every once in a while at the Montreal Fringe Festival, you experience a theatrical moment that takes your breath away. AfterLife, by Chris Van Strander and Candy Simmons, presented by SunsetGun Productions of Brooklyn, has that effect.”
**Ranked #1 Must See Show of Montreal Fringe 2009**
— Pat Donnelly, Montreal Gazette, June 17, 2009
“Slowly exposing each character’s flaws, dreams and fears, Simmons’ monologues are conversational, raw and real, fooling you into believing you are catching up with an old friend. Even in front of a sold-out crowd, she seemed to make a connection with every audience member, never faltering in her accents or her flawless delivery. Clever, charming, sassy and smart.”
— Rheanne Marcoux, Winnipeg Sun, July 21, 2009
“The script, by Chris Van Strander and Simmons, is concise and dynamic, with all manner of internal crosscurrents, and Simmons's performance is chilling, a bit heartbreaking, and rarely less than fascinating.”
— Quinton Skinner, Minneapolis City Pages, August 5, 2009
“One-woman wonder Candy Simmons delivers a mesmerizing performance. The script by Simmons and Chris Van Strander is spare, crisp and often surprising in its exploration of the suffocating desperation of the dilemmas of womanhood through the ages...one remains in awe of this finely cut, polished gem of a production and especially a performance that ranks among the best of any Fringe festival.”
— Edward Keenan, Toronto Eye Weekly, July 2, 2009
(out of 5)
(out of 5)
“The acting is spot-on, the characters are richly developed and nuanced, and the connection between the stories is smart and not forced. Bits of information are revealed at precisely the right moments, and the experience of watching these women cope with the boundaries of their society’s expectations and norms is both sad and captivating.”
— Iain Ilich, Edmonton Journal, August 19, 2009
(out of 5)
