Finster Finds

Last week I got to take in the Preview performance of Grant MacEwan's production of 9 to 5 . It's the musical adaptation of the 1980 film of the same name. I loved the movie and I loved the musical. Outside the title song, I was unfamiliar with the music, but it was fun and smart and well-sung by the cast. It was filled with great singing, and the three lead women (Kristen Schaeffer, Darian Yurkoski, and Lindsay Downs) were awesome. Opposite the feisty trio was the hilarious Stefan Theriault as Mr. Hart. His commitment to playing up the worst in the misogynistic CEO was hysterical. There's great choreography and the show is fast paced and will keep you laughing! 9 to 5 runs at the Triffo Theatre until December 8. Click here for tickets. Another show that had me laughing out loud was Fallen Angels presented by Bright Young Things at the Varscona Theatre. A stellar cast led by Belinda Cornish and Vanessa Sabourin, there were so many laugh out loud moments. The phy...

This weekend, I had the pleasure of seeing Matara , a new work by Conni Massing, at Workshop West Playwrights Theatre. A zoo elephant Matara, or Nellie, is at the centre of the story. Cared for by Karen (Elinor Holt), Matara is not in the best of health and a group of protesters camp outside the gates, demanding she be sent to an elephant reserve far away. The protesters are held at bay by night security guard Marcel (Minister Faust), and newly hired communications expert Romney (Patricia Zentilli) recognizes the value of an elephant in selling the zoo. The three characters are complicated and connect differently to the zoo and to Matara. The play really highlights the complexity of the issue, that what is the best decision is not necessarily black and white, and the limitations on the three characters to communicate and be heard further obstruct finding the right course of action. No one seems to hear what the others are saying because the narrative they need to hear is not being ...

Although Christmas is still a month away, this week I felt it creeping closer and closer. Part of that was the switch-over to Christmas music on the radio station my son prefers, and part of it was taking in  Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley   at the Citadel Theatre. For me, it was particularly fun to return to the land of Jane Austen, having immersed myself in the world of the Regency Era as part of my role as Assistant Director of Sense and Sensibility two seasons ago. The show, although lighter and funnier than Pride and Prejudice , has much to recommend itself to Austen aficionados. You will re-meet four of the five Bennet sisters, Mr. Darcy, and Mr. Bingley. For the most part, they are recognizable from the novel, but changes to their lives in the years since allow for new discoveries.  The show centers on the middle sister, Miss Mary Bennet, played with a prickly charm and much wit by Toronto-based Mikaela Davies. Mary is the forgotten middle sister, left t...

I'm always a little nervous about Jukebox shows, but Beautiful , currently playing until November 11th with Broadway Across Canada, manages to weave the iconic music of Carole King wonderfully with the first part of her life and career. Sarah Bockel, as King, is terrific. She embodies the sound and look of King without caricature, and manages to convincingly shift through the stages of her life from a 16 year-old aspiring songwriter, to young mother, to the vocal powerhouse who creates and performs Tapestry . Although the entire cast is great, it's Bockel that the audience rose to their feet for. The role is bigger than life, much like King herself. The music is all recognizable, although you may not have been aware that King wrote them (mostly with her ex-husband Gerry Goffin), and the show cleverly creates tension by showing the competition between rival songwriters (and friends) Barry Mann & Cynthia Weil (played with great humour and intelligence by Jacob Heimer and ...

If you like to embrace all things scary and spooky this time of year, there are a few options in the #yegtheatre scene that you can check out... The Bone House by Marty Chan is being presented at the Varscona Hotel. Here's the description: For the past 19 years, a shadowy figure has been drifting about, leaving a trail of bodies in his wake. Nobody has seen his face, and some believe he is only an urban myth. Self proclaimed mind-hunter, Eugene Crowley disagrees. He is going to find him but he needs your help to expose the Midnight Cowboy before he strikes again. He could be anywhere...or anyone. It's an immersive piece of theatre that explores the nature of fear and imagination. Starring Lew Wetherell, Jason Hardwick, Nicole Grainger, and Murray Farnell, and directed by Jennifer Krezlewicz. I saw The Bone House a few years ago and I remember being terrified. Although the details in my memory are a bit hazy, I often reference the experience as the most scared I have e...

When I was in university, one of my part-time jobs was working front of house and bar-tending at the University of Alberta Studio Theatre shows. As a result, I think I saw pretty much every show there from my second year on. I have always loved the atmosphere and aesthetic of the Studio Theatre shows. The plays chosen are always smart and sharp ( and unpredictable ) and the design concepts are always complete and specific and imaginative. This is certainly the case for Lenin's Embalmers , currently onstage at the Timms. First of all, I was pleased to see not only a Canadian playwright, but an Edmonton playwright being produced. Vern Thiessen is not only the playwright, but he's also onstage as Lenin in this production, and that gives a little more meta to the whole thing ( Lenin observes the world after his death; playwright observes his play from within after he's written it ). Directed by MFA Candidate Alexander Donovan, the show is darkly funny and intelligent. The cas...

I guess I truly began the marathon with Once at the Citadel. You still have a chance to catch it tonight or tomorrow. If you are looking for a little romance and music, this kitchen-party show will fit the bill! On Wednesday, I took in The Triangle Factory Fire Project at Walterdale Theatre. A nearly sold-out house witnessed the events of March 25, 1911 as the Triangle Waist Factory Fire took the lives of 146 workers and the subsequent trial of the owners of the factory. The first act was incredibly engaging and compelling as the story of the day was pieced together from testimony of survivors and speculation of events based on the evidence. The second act focuses on the trial, and it made me reflect on the voicelessness of those without power. In light of recent history, it felt incredibly relevant. The Triangle Factory Fire Project   runs to October 20th with shows at 8 p.m. and a 2 p.m. Sunday matinee. Tuesday, October 16 is their Pay-What-You-Can Night. Click here for t...

In less than a week, Walterdale Theatre's 60th Anniversary Season officially begins with the opening of The Triangle Factory Fire Project . It's a hot start to a sizzling season! The production features a cast of 20 (both new and returning to Walterdale's stage) and underscores the need for safe working conditions for all. In the Triangle Waist Factory off downtown Manhattan's Washington Square—where 500 immigrant workers from Poland, Russia, and Italy toil fourteen-hour days making lady's dresses—a cigarette is tossed into a bin of fabric scraps. Despite desperate efforts, flames sweep through the eighth, ninth, and tenth floors. Panic-stricken workers run in all directions. Dozens leap from the windows to their deaths, shocking the crowd of onlookers gathered below. And some through bravery or sheer luck make it out alive. In the space of twenty-eight minutes, the fire is under control, but 146 people, mainly young immigrant girls, have died. The Triangle Factor...

It was lovely to return to the Citadel Theatre last night to take in Once , their season opener. I brought Gibson along to celebrate his 14th birthday as I knew the show would appeal to his musician's heart, and I was not wrong. To confirm this, after the bows, he turned to me and said, "Well... that was quite good." For me, it was the third time seeing the show, so I was curious about how the Citadel would approach it. There were some significant differences, primarily in design choices. The other two productions I saw (Mirvish - Toronto, and Broadway Across Canada - Edmonton) made the base location an Irish Pub. Here, designer Cory Sincennes has given us a kitchen party amidst the rolling green hills of Dublin. I think the production owns the space, and director Ann Hodges along with choreographer Julie Tomaino, have made lovely choices to move from scene to scene and location to location. There are a few moments when the background action distracted me from the m...

Play the Fool Festival , Edmonton’s Theatre Festival for Clown & Physical Comedy, returns this week on Sept 27th – 30th at The Backstage Theatre and ATB Financial Arts Barns. It's the third year for the theatre festival and there are so many different shows you can check out. I had a stroll through their website ( click here ) and here are a few shows that jumped out at me ( please check out the age recommendations as most of the shows are aimed at adult audiences ): Shipwrecked - Calgary Created and Performed By: Chad Bryant and Chris Gamble Shipwrecked on a desert island, Swill and Lavy find a mysterious treasure map. Will the map lead to their salvation or doom? Calgary-based comedy theatre artists Chad Bryant (Swill) and Chris Gamble (Lavy) team up with Jacqueline Russell from Sizzle & Spark (The Sama Kutra & Hushabye) to bring a new Pochinko-style clown duo to the stage. The Daily Deal with Lady - Edmonton Created and Performed By: Lindsay Ruth Hunt ...

This week, Broadway Across Canada brought back The Book of Mormon to the Northern Jubilee Auditorium. I was lucky enough to see it when it was here playing to Sold Out houses a few years ago, and the packed theatre on Wednesday night indicates that it is still a very popular choice! The laughs from the audience and the rapid standing ovation were also great indicators of a terrific night out! I think I enjoyed seeing the show even more this time. On first glance, The Book of Mormon requires a couple of cautions. There is explicit language and many of the things discussed are quite shocking, but it did come from the South Park guys, so I think that in itself tells you that it's going to go to places you have to be prepared for. The production itself was outstanding. Led by Kevin Clay (Elder Price) and Conner Peirson (Elder Cunningham), the entire cast was buoyant and dynamic and 100% committed to the demands of the show. The vocals are on point and the dancing was terrific. I...

Due to popular demand, SatCo and Uniform Theatre will have an additional performance of XANADU on FRIDAY, AUGUST 24 at 11:00 PM! Please note that you CANNOT purchase tickets for this performance through Fringe, they will only be for sale at the door!! To reserve your ticket, please email uniformtc@gmail.com.

Josephine Venue 1: ATB Westbury Theatre Something drew me to this show right from the start and I am so glad because it turned out to be a real highlight of my Fringe experience this year! I knew a little about Josephine Baker before seeing the show, but I soon realized that I didn't know very much. Her life was incredible and this one-woman show performed by the engaging and charismatic Tymesha Harris leaves you wanting more! It's hard to pack so much into 75 minutes! I left wanting to find out more - searching my wikipedia for details and looking up images online... now I'm looking for a good biography. Now that's the sign of a good show! If this makes it to hold-overs, do try and catch it, because it's Sold Out for the rest of it's performances. Click here for tickets. Tragedy: A Tragedy Venue 3: Walterdale Theatre Blarney Productions does it again with this quirky, odd piece by Will Eno. A brve news team tries to capture the unfolding event in...

Some of these are repeats, but some are new... check out which shows random people in line-ups have recommended this Fringe: Interstellar Elder: Badass Grandma in Space Kitt & Jane: An Interactive Survival Guide to the Near-Post-Apocalyptic Future Hubris Hotel Vortruba* James & Jamesy in the Dark Scorch* Josephine* Thunderfoot Fetch The Real Inspector Hound* Red Bastard Click here for tickets. Enjoy the rest of the Fringe - plenty to see! All shows are worth a gamble!

Monday was a great 4 show day! It's amazing to me that I can see 4 shows and it's still light out when I drive home! it was also a nice mix of shows, so I felt like I got a great grab-bag of theatre! The Great Gromboolian Plain Venue 4 - The Academy at King Edward This was a very nice piece of theatre about the nature of time travel and sisters and what is real and whether someone is crazy or not. It's well acted and staged, however I wished there was something more in the resolution as it left me with many questions. I did like how we discover that sometimes people do things that may seem hurtful and controlling but they are actually doing those things to protect others. Click here for tickets. Punch Up! Venue 9 - Telus Phone Museum A terrifically funny show. I think I laughed from start to finish. The script (by Kat Sandlers - who is the playwright on-board to write an upcoming duo of plays, The Candidate and The Party , at the Citadel next season) is ...

Although I only saw 2 shows myself, I had some great conversations with people in line-ups today because both shows were Sold Out. I think I managed to talk to a wider variety of people with even more varied interests! How I Learned to Hug Fire at the Meth Lab Stranded on a Island in Nova Scotia The Importance of Being Earnest God is a Scottish Drag Queen* Dueling Divas The Real Inspector Hound* Sirens Heroine Hotel Vortruba* Jake's Gift* The Irrelevant Show The Soldier's Tale Josephine Click here for tickets to all Fringe Shows! I hope you have room in your schedule to fit in one or two of these!

Some new shows today - I confess, I was tired and got into a few conversations about current trends in art and didn't have as many show conversations, but I did get some new and repeat Word of Mouth Recommendations!  Warning: Many of these shows are selling out, so it is wise to act fast for tickets! (Star indicates multiple recommendations) The Wind and the Rain Merk du Soleil Everything's Coming Up Chickens* Eddie Poe* For Science!* Scorch She Was a Great Dad Josephine* The Real Inspector Hound* Buyer & Cellar Irrelevant Show A Briefs History of Time Business as Usual Jake's Gift* Caws and Effect Happy Fringing!

Macbeth Muet lafilledulaitier.com Venue 9: Telus Phone Museum This show was so good. So. Good. It's better, I think, if you know Macbeth, but really even if you just know the high point of the story this show will blow you away. It's funny and inventive and so incredibly clever. I think it's the perfect way to do Shakespeare, particularly the bloodier plays. I cannot get over the cleverness of their choices. The music made it so accessible and from eggs, to paper towels, to paper plates and lots and lots of fake blood, you will be mesmerized and laughing. I recommend this to everyone! Wellspring Venue 13 - Old Strathcona Library A trio of intertwining monologues from three women who live in a community affected by fracking. While it doesn't add anything new to the issue, this show serves to humanize people caught up in dynamics of health and quality of life vs. energy and economics. I did long for more action and conflict within the story, and it takes a li...

I returned to the Fringe grounds today and chatted with quite a few different people about what they would recommend ( artists are not allowed to recommend their own shows - although they try... ). I was pleased to hear so many different suggestions, as it tells me that there are a lot of good things to see at this year's Fringe. Here's the Word Of Mouth recommendations from Sunday, August 19, 2018, in no particular order. ( stars indicate that the show was mentioned by more than one person ): Interstellar Elder: Badass Grandma in Space Unscriptured Stories About Love, Death & a Rabbit * WASP TEDxRFT: Improvised Ted Talks MacBeth Muet* Jesus Christ: The Lost Years A Briefs History of  Time Daddy's Boy Tomatoes Tried to Kill Me, But Banjos Saved My Life The Progressive Polygamists The Wilds* The Real Inspector Hound 2 Queens and a Joker One Man Pride and Prejudice* An All New God is a Scottish Drag Queen The Alien Baby Play One Man Walking Dead Hotel...

Let's Talk About Your Death Allspice Theatre Venue 11 - Nordic Studio Theatre A show that's both silly and serious, Let's Talk About Your Death , is set in a world where a machine exists that can tell you how you will die. Capitalizing on that is a Dr. Phil-like TV personality who interviews those from the audience who have just found out 'how they will die'. Complete with thematic advertisements and spontaneous moments that neither the actor nor the audience know where they will go, this show turned out to be both hilarious and touching. Knowing about your death turns out to be much more about how you choose to live. Don't Frown at the Gown (by Darrin Hagen and Trevor Schmidt) Guys in Disguise Venue 12 - Varscona Theatre Another terrific play from the Guys in Disguise, this time tackling the shifting values of the 1960s with regards to the feminist movement as young bride-to-be Susan (Trevor Schmidt) goes to the bridal shop with her domineering moth...

Every Fringe I chat with the people I see in line or the beer tent and find out what shows they would recommend based on what they have seen so far. It's early, but I got a few recommendations today: Stories About Love, Death and a Rabbit Don't Frown at the Gown Everything's Coming Up Chickens Tease For Science! I'm taking tomorrow off to celebrate my anniversary, so I will be back getting word of mouth recommendations on Sunday!

Fetch   (by Cat Walsh) Interloper Theatre Venue 28 - The Playhouse My first show of the 37th Fringe was a good choice. A fascinating tale of two Hannah Morgans that plays with possibility and probability. The Hannahs (Lora Brovold and Cat Walsh) narrate their eerily similar yet significantly different lives to relate a story that leaves you wondering what really happened. Guided by an interpretation of the Schrodinger's Cat Theory and a mysterious stuffed dog called Mr. Anderson, you will be drawn into the parallel and diverging stories. It's great story-telling that is unpredictable and engaging. The writing is excellent and the performances compelling.  Buyer and Cellar Next Stage Productions Venue 10 - Have Mercy Acacia Hall I was fortunate to be invited to a Preview of this one-man show about the mall in Barbra Streisand's basement. Gregory Caswell plays the fictional lone employee of the mall which is used to display the many things that Barbra h...

I've been spending a lot of time on the Fringe website, researching and reading about the different shows. It will be terrific to buy my program today, but the website has given me a lot to think about, in particular, that there are some shows that seem like they might 'go together' either in contrasting or in comparative ways... Here are some suggestions for some elegant pairings: Why not pair  50 First Dates  with  F*ck Tinder: A Love Story ? Both are journeys through the world of dating to find love but told from different perspectives. As one who escaped the advent of online dating apps, I think both would likely give me insight into a world that somewhat terrifies me. For those who are  little younger than me, I am pretty sure that both these shows would  resonate for you and no doubt you would have similar stories to share. If you like Sketch Comedy, why not pair Marv n' Berry Presents: Everyone Panic, Please with Blackout Presents: Show me the Goo...