Erika MacDonald: Tea TIME, Fringe 2026. Photo supplied
ERIKA MACDONALD: Tea TIME (Stage 28, Roots on Whyte)
By Fawnda Mithrush
One of life’s great comforts, tea is truly front and centre in this piece. It’s a good thing, too, because it’s a keen assurance of safety and comfort that allows Erika MacDonald to expertly cover some Very. Tough. Subjects. She does so with a wit and soft candour that is remarkable.
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Tea TIME lays down a series of ritualistic adages that at first describe the routine making of tea; “it doesn’t take forever, but it does take time” takes on deeper meaning each time MacDonald utters it. Once the disclosures of mental health challenges emerge, you’re fully aware that while tea is indeed being brewed onstage, there’s also something else happening, something warm and assuring and entirely steeped with love.
MacDonald’s demeanour is of a tender auntie; her bonafide grin and sincerity buffer any sort of unease that might come up when talking about depression, and it’s easy to trust her fully as she guides the audience through a “felt three minutes,” which you absolutely must do once in your life in a room full of strangers. Each procedural step to arrive at a well-made cup is a shelter and an affirmation that each moment is to be savoured, even if only in its simplicity or quietness.
It won’t have the same impact on everyone, but no one could walk away from Tea TIME without a genuine appreciation for MacDonald’s vulnerable and endearing way with her audience. Buckle up and enjoy the cup.