WINNER: BEST OF FEST – Winnipeg Fringe 2008
”Sage-Passant (under Katz’s skilled direction) brings Frank to life with a precise, subtle, and bravely understated performance. This is not light Fringe fare by any stretch (it should be billed as “comedy” only in the darkest sense). But it is a remarkable performance.” FOUR STARS, CBC Manitoba
“The writing is impeccable—perfect rhythms of humour, pathos, and wit. Jonno Katz’s direction is similarly laudable.”
FIVE STARS, Vue Weekly (Edmonton)
“A wincingly funny solo portrait of a quintessential English nebbish in a lad culture that banks machismo. For nearly a decade, the (very) English troupe Screwed & Clued has been touring Canadian Fringes with dark, driven, theatrically ingenious original insights into urban thuggery, Shakespeare's new England, the morbid streak in Pinocchio.... In some ways, this tense, exquisitely detailed little show, built from minute observation, is more brutal than any of them. It is also more poignant, as the expertly drab performance by Sage-Passant amply demonstrates. As directed by the brilliantly off-centre Australian comic actor Jonno Katz, Sage-Passant populates this canvas with an inobtrusive dexterity and precision that matches his writing. the melancholy Frank, stoical in his anorak; the maternal sadist to whom he's pathologically devoted; the manly 21st century blokes who can get a drink in a crowded bar by a kind of male semaphore.” FOUR STARS, Liz Nichols, The Edmonton Journal
“Writer/performer Justin Sage-Passant shows incredible emotional and physical range in this witty and poignant narrative about a mother and son’s near pathological relationship. By juxtaposing machismo with the indignity and embarrassments that constitute real life, he not only creates an intimate codependent mother-son dynamic but also explores lots of myths about masculinity." NNNN, CRITIC’S PICK. NOW Magazine
“Manners For Men is brilliant.” Paula Citron
“Manners for Men is a thoughtful study of the pathologically co-dependant relationship of an aged and deteriorating old woman and her caregiving son. The pace is slow and the mood melancholy and poignant. The success of the work is completely dependent on Sage-Passant's exceptional emotive abilities. What makes all this work is Sage-Passant's ability to instantly and believably switch characters and his minutely observed recreation of Frank's daily existence. The story is simple enough, but the detail is astonishing as the poor sod is brought to vivid life. I suppose there is very little hope for Frank - he'll never break out of his crummy bubble, but through a skilful performer, you do begin to care for him. The ending of the story is much in keeping with what has gone before but strikes a note of hope. For some, life will never be about the big victory. It's counted in the little ones that get you through the day. You won't forget Frank in a hurry.” FOUR STARS, Colin Maclean, Edmonton Sun
- “Any other shows that shouldn't be missed?”
- “Definately! Manners For Men by Justin Sage-Passant is one i would recommend. The main character is this heartwarming but horribly awkward young fellow who has absolutely no luck impressing women - not even his crippled mother. Sage-Passant subjects this guy to a horribly embarrasing bowel movement and then uses the incident as a catalyst for a philosophical exploration into the true meaning of manners and subsequently humanity.”
- “Well Natalie, from what i'm hearing this was a one man show with the actor portraying numerous characters, how successful was he at it?”
- “He did an excellent job portraying them. Actually his portrayal of his characters is what REALLY impressed me about this show. There was attention to detail that made both his physical and verbal transformations between characters seamless. Most importantly though, something he brought to his characters that has been a rarity at this festival was sincerity and earnestness!”
- “Why do you stress that as being so important Natalie?”
- “When a portayal of a character is not sincere the performance risks falling into charicature. In theatre, sincerity is a question of respect . As an actor or writer you must respect your characters. If an actor respects the character they will portray them in the most earnest way possible – this is evident in Sage-Passant's production.” CBC Radio, Afternoon Edition. Natalie Feheregyhazi. (Saskatoon)
“Sage-Passant is one of the best Fringe actors I have seen at creating compelling characters. By the time the play reaches its bittersweet conclusion, one really doesn't know whether to laugh or cry. The strength of Sage-Passant's performance lies in the fact that he is able to create both of these responses in his audience with equal intensity. This is about as fine a balance between humour and pathos as I have seen at the Fringe.” UMFM (Winnipeg)
“Justin Sage-Passant imbues Frank which so much pathos and eloquence, it’s impossible not to feel for him as he nervously navigates the queue at a local pub, or encounters a lad’s mag for the first time, or weathers yet another shameful scandal involving a ladies shoe store and a game of pocket pool. And by play’s end, as Frank ponders the true measure of a man, Sage-Passant has made it clear that heroes come in all sizes. Heck, some of ‘em even come with skid marks.” FOUR AND A HALF STARS. Winnipeg Sun