Church Boyfriends & Other Impure Thoughts
Reviewed by Jenny St. Germain
The vibe is sinfully good.
Alison Fishburn’s one-woman show answers the (new) age-old question: is being a born-again virgin really a thing?!?
Spoiler: yes, it’s a thing.
From the title alone – Church Boyfriends and Other Impure Thoughts – you might naturally expect a light dusting of ‘unGodly’ perversion. And if you did, you’d be somewhat correct. But don't get too excited; it's more a coming-of-age story from the perspective of a burgeoning evangelical teen. A kind of Judy Blume-ing, if you will.
With Fishburn writing and performing her own story to sublime perfection, she shares her secrets and turns us into curious voyeurs. Let’s get real: we might serve buttoned-up modesty, but the minute things get spicy, we all lean in a little closer.
Most people don't know what it's like to grow up entrenched at this level of religious indoctrination. Fishburn shares a fascinating glimpse into this world, and it is captivating to hear how her devotion to purity culture started to clash with her developing critical thinking and lusty desires.
Our solo performer effortlessly toggles her point of view between onstage narrator and teenager. She uses a flip chart to educate the crowd on purity culture, among other things. There may or may not be a doodle of a phallus with wings.
In the play, Fishburn describes her teen self as "on fire for Christ." Well, I am officially ON FIRE for Alison Fishburn!
If loving this show is a sin, then line me up for the confession booth. The performance was heavenly and the audience clearly fell a little bit in love with Alison. I know I didn't want her show to end. On that note, here’s hoping for the next installment of impure thoughts at next year's Fringe!
Reviewed by Cheryl Breukelman
The vibe is intimate, funny and reflective.
Church Boyfriends and Other Impure Thoughts brings us both humour and depth.
It's not a church drama. It's not a sex comedy.
It's a twist of both landing in self-discovery.
Allison warmly shares her personal journey through the very real and detailed stories of 3 church boyfriends. It’s about growing up devout and being challenged by her own desires and beliefs. She incorporates visuals and moves in an out of her past and present self to deliver her tender, human account. Playful and probing, it's the messy journey, where faith and feelings are at odds and personal truth is tested. I loved every minute of it.
She's great. The show is great. Check it out!
Age Suitability: Parental Guidance (ages 13+)
Warnings: Coarse Language
Venue: Theatre Aquarius Studio
Genre: Theatre—Comedy, Storytelling/Solo Show
Writer & Performer
Alison Fishburn
Director
Sara E. Culley
