All 
the C Words is a one-woman show, written and performed by Sarah Mineiro. The production is part of DC’s annual Capital Fringe Festival, focusing on “providing space, resources, and opportunities for both individual artists and companies, as well as a place for community building and expression.”
Mineiro tells the story of her battle with cancer during the COVID pandemic, starting with her diagnosis. She sits at a mic throughout the show, casually engaging with the audience mostly, after short conversations from her memories that bullet-point the subject matter to follow.
The production begins with a synthesized voice recording of Mineiro’s doctor unceremoniously informing her that she has breast cancer. After a short back and forth with the recording, Mineiro speaks directly on how that moment affected her and other personal reflections.
On the wall behind Mineiro, each of the relevant “c” words is projected in red typescript as the account progresses: cancer, chemo, counting Christmases, Congress, community.
Mineiro is witty, raw, and vulnerable. She describes her struggle with attributing her cancer as punishment, her guilt for being too sick to help her young children through the pandemic, and the perspective gained from accidentally walking into a pediatric cancer ward. Mineiro’s self-deprecation and crass comedy insightfully guide the audience through an otherwise heartbreaking experience.
All the C Words is an emotional journey of pain and loss, told with humility and humor. Mineiro’s one-woman performance is refreshingly inspiring and beautifully real. A must-see for Capital Fringe.
Running Time: 60 minutes.
All the C Words plays July 20 at 6:15 pm and July 23 at 11:00 am at Sour – 2nd Floor – 1050 Thomas Jefferson. Tickets are $15 and can be purchased online.
Genre: Comedy
Performer: Sarah Mineiro
Age appropriateness: Appropriate for Adults Only
Profanity: yes
The complete 2023 Capital Fringe Festival guidebook is online here.
