Dancing With Rage

Whatever you do, don't call Mary Walsh fearless. The modest Canadian comedy icon was quick to admit being "absolutely fearful" when she accepted ACTRA's 2013 Woman of the Year Award on March 6 after the opening of her new one-woman show Dancing With Rage.

Now playing at the Panasonic Theatre, the 90-minute, sketch-style performance revolves around Walsh's alter ego Marg Delahunty, famous for ambushing politicians in a red gladiator outfit with a plastic sword. Set against a backdrop of St. John's, Newfoundland, Dancing With Rage takes us on a journey through Marg's chaotic childhood growing up in a dysfunctional family, to her schoolgirl days at Holy Heart of Mary highschool (when she got knocked up on a field trip to Expo 67), to her present-day battle with macular degeneration. Marg's loss of vision inspires her to seek out the long lost love child that her mother forced her to give up for adoption, a mission that ends at a "Joe Orton's" in Ottawa. Along the way Marg interacts with a cast of familiar characters from CODCO and This Hour Has 22 Minutes, including Dakey Dunn, Miss Eulalia Turpin, Mom Reardon and Connie Bloor.

Using projections and video, the production jumps between live action and a series of filmed bits, highlighting some of Marg's most memorable moments, including her notorious run-ins with Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Toronto Mayor Rob Ford. Walsh moves in and out of character with ease in a brutally honest and surprisingly moving performance that frequently has the audience screaming with laughter. While the quality of the audio and video could use polishing, fans of Walsh's work will not want to miss this opportunity to see this great Canadian in her element.

Although the show is only semi-autobiographical and Walsh rarely breaks out of character, we get the sense that she is baring her heart on stage and the audience is left wanting more.

Dancing With Rage runs until March 24 at the Panasonic Theatre. Visit mirvish.com for more information and to buy tickets.