Nancy Kenny’s Roller Derby Saved My Soul is a story of a comic loving, introvert who discovers her place to belong in roller derby. Kenny throws herself into the play, rolling around the (air conditioned!) space at Alexandra Centre Society.
The play opens to a sequence of Kenny pretending that she is slaying vampires, as she carries around a stake and lays around eating popcorn and reciting the words to Buffy the vampire slayer. She explains that she is a lone wolf and launches into an analysis of heroines in the movies and on TV. There is this whole sequence about Princess Leia and the costumes that she wears. Kenny then gets a call from her sister June, who wants to take her to a roller derby game for her birthday, that she missed last week. Reluctantly Kenny decides to go.
This leads to Kenny signing up for roller derby and learning the sport. It’s okay if as an audience member you don’t know how roller derby works, because Kenny explains it all. Roller Derby saved my soul is the story of finally finding that place in the world with people who stick with you, doing something that you love and are good at. It’s a story about overcoming your insecurities and that voice in your head that says you can’t be the superhero.
The play is fun and Kenny tells her story quite well. It won’t blow the roof off, but for a hot afternoon, it is a good story to sink into during the Calgary Fringe Festival.
Roller Derby Saved My Soul is part of the Calgary Fringe Festival. There are 4 more chances to see it. More information is available online.