Jigger's: An Early Review

By Mikey Wasnidge

When local island filmmaker Adam Perry set out to make his modestly budgeted, independent web-series Jiggers, he had a grant given to him by Tech PEI and handful of very talented friends. After being invited to preview the full 90 minute project that has now been in production for almost a year, I was thrilled! Up until that point I had only had the pleasure of seeing the skillfully edited trailers, which only prompted high expectations and a lack patience on my part. Now the show, which originally advertised a fall release date, is being premiered on April 3!  

Jiggers tells the story of John Paul, a quiet, childishly naïve man who aspires to become a professional step dancer, despite his dangerous respiratory illness. Though discouraged to pursue his dream by his caring sister Esther, he teams up with an earnest, but comically erratic rapper, Stanley Newman. The duo, played by Sketch 22’s Lennie Macpherson and Graham Putnam, become determined to take their fusion of traditional step dancing and hip hop on the road, and to do so, are taken on by an indescribably hilarious manager, ‘Slender Tips’ Doucette, played by Profile PEI star, Jeremy Larter.  

This series will show you what the talent on PEI is capable of. Adam Perry transforms the familiar landscapes of Prince Edward Island into a beautiful backdrop for this story of friendship and determination. The cast all bring something to the table, whether it is the way Jill McCrae plays a hearing impaired character without any sense of mockery, or the way that Lennie MacPherson can set the tone of a scene with just an awkward glare from John Paul. The performer who shines the most though, or at least provides the most laughs, is Jaremy Larter. His portrayal of Slender Tips Doucette will have you laughing at every line, but is arguably the most believable. The cinematography of Jiggers is the best I have ever seen to come out of PEI, and it is because of this reason that I am positive this will gain national attention. The lighting, camera angles, costumes, and vibrancy of colors in this web series indicate anything but amateur work here. If I were to warn you of anything about this film, it would be that this show does not fit into any one category. Be prepared to laugh at this series, but also be open to watching entire episodes made up of very sentimental interactions. I assure you that Perry and his team are destined for bigger projects, and I cannot wait to re-watch each episodes from week to week.  

You will be able to find these short 8-9 minute episodes every week at www.Jiggers.ca. If you are interested in watching the trailers, I advise you to look for them on YouTube because they are likely to turn you into as big of a fan as I am. I hope everyone checks out the series premiere on April 3 and support local artists.