Finster Finds

I had a lovely Fringe 2024. I hope everyone else did too! I did a rough calculation and over the 11 days (10 at the site watching shows and drinking in atmosphere) I saw 21 shows, had hundreds of conversations with friends and strangers, ate more than my share of mini-donuts, had my G.O.C., went to the Next Act three times, and walked over 85,000 steps! I spent less than $500 for all this entertainment and activity so that's definitely a WIN!   On the final Sunday I spent my day laughing, catching two local comedies! It was a great day to end the Fringe! Dick Piston Hotel Detective in Prague-Nosis - This was a super fun show where, just like the titular Dick Piston, you weren't always sure what was going on! But that was the fun of it. The cast of 5 (plus the many-hatted sign holder ASM) were fabulous as they attacked this very funny, clever script. No one is quit who they seem to be, except maybe Dick Piston, but he's very confused trying to solve a hotel guest's robb...

So... funny story... I had it in my head that my show was at 12 noon. It was Sold Out and a Hot Ticket so I made sure that I was there by just after 11 am so I would be the first in line. So I'm there... waiting... and I find it curious that there is no one else there. Not just no audience members, but no cars in the lots, so I decide to check my ticket... OH! The show starts at 2 pm, NOT NOON. It's all good, I went and found myself breakfast and returned later closer to the actual show start time. I still was first in line but this time there were other people there too! The lesson is - ALWAYS REVIEW YOUR SPREADSHEET! Ha ha ha! So, what did I see? High School Musical - The Disney High School Musical and Descendants movies are my guilty (?) pleasure! And I always want to see what the phenomenal Uniform Theatre company is doing so this was a combination that felt like destiny! What a great show! The cast is outstanding in a triple threat way. I have to give a shout out to the C...

We're getting near the end of the Festival, but I saved some good ones for this weekend! For Science! - I finally made it to the show! It's been on my list for a few Fringes and I have never been able to fit it in, but it worked this year - YAY! It was so much fun! A show that is indeed for all ages but is clever and smart and sciencey (so you know I like that!). The kids have a great time and the adults have a great time. I'd go again if they bring it back! I think their last show is this afternoon - so check it out if you can! Satan Does a Cabaret - I had a lot of fun at this one. Rebecca Merkley is such a great performer and her voice is one that I can listen to forever. Although I knew more about the source material with Jesus Teaches Us Things, Satan Does a Cabaret is still very entertaining! Satan knows how to belt out the big songs and it was fun that the audience got to join in (in a variety of capacities). I had avoided learning the lyrics to W.A.P. in my life bu...

Word of Mouth Thursday/Friday - August 23/24 It's the last one I'll be doing for this Fringe - but there are a lot of great titles and many of them are in holdovers (well, 12 are, and I think almost all the holdovers made the Word of Mouth List at least one time!). Some of these shows are finished for the Fringe, but perhaps they will be back OR maybe they are going on to another Fringe adventure?  Here goes... Weird Al Karaoke I Lost on Jeopardy Ladies of Jazz Too Funny for Words Larry God is A Scottish Drag Queen Cabaret of Legends The Kid Was a Spy 1nce Upon a Lie: Paul Strickland Ha Ha DaVinci Chase Padgett: Grab Bag Cabaret Martin Dockery: Truth Inescapable Suitcase Circus (kids) Mass Debating Microwave Coven God the Daughter How Not To Kill A Plant Think of Me Happy Go Lucky Accidental Beach Sword in the Stone The Funny Thing About Men Erika the Red Murder She Improvised Gordon’s Big Bald Head All the Kings Men Tickets

Mass Debating - brought to the Fringe by 100% More Girls (the unification of Whizgiggling and Guys in Disguise) this was a really cute and funny musical about a junior high debate competition between an all girls school and an all boys school. Set in past (1970s?) there are many moments highlighting the expectations for girls vs. boys in the competition and in the world as a whole. In this production, the women play the boys, and the men play the girls.  It was very smart to choose junior high as there is perhaps the biggest gap in maturity between grade 7s, 8s and 9s than in high school grades and the show uses those differences to show us the internal and external relationships of the competitors with themselves. It's got the flavour and feel of Putnam County Spelling Bee and I think it could actually be something like that with a little expansion on the script! Also, there's an amazing tap number!! I had so much fun and I highly recommend - however, it might be hard to get...

So, I am a little late on this... it's a funny story why mostly having to do with my husband locking ALL his keys in his truck (both set for both vehicles that he drives) and then him having to take my van to work while I waited for AMA... It's all good and I am happy to report I made it to the Fringe Site on time for my shows! On Monday I caught three shows! Sheep Play - I booked this show because it fit nicely into my schedule and sounded intriguing... Sheep in a post-human world? Okay - let's see what this is! The sheep were hilarious with excellent Scottish accents that sounded very right for the show. There's the best Ukulele song (well sung, well played, and well suited to the piece)! There's also a bit of " What the heck is going on?!?! " but I was laughing (as was most of the audience) so it's all good. I was certainly entertained, even if I was a bit confused at times! Microwave Coven - I try not to miss the Guys in Disguise shows and this ...

This is actually the last two days of collected Word of Mouth Recommendations! Once again, I have not see all these shows but rather people have recommended them to me as shows that they think were great shows that people should see! Rob and Chris (Bobby +Tina) Ingie's Fingies Bright Lights Portrait of Elisa Graham OWEaDEBT Centre of the Universe What the Hell Was That? The Bells Local Diva: The Danielle Smith Diaries Silence of the Lambs Jr. Edition Chase Padgett: Grab Bag Cabaret The Kid Was a Spy 1nce Upon a Lie: Paul Strickland Martin Dockery: Truth Keith Brown - 100% Wizard Everything In New Orleans Is A Good Idea Cabaret of Legends Rat Academy Microwave Coven Mass Debating The Show Must Go On El Diablo of the Cards Batman, Bob and Bill The S.P.O.T.T. Binding Whatever you go see, I hope you enjoy your Fringe! Fringe tickets: https://tickets.fringetheatre.ca/ 

Caught three shows today! My feet are not thrilled with the walking, but they are adjusting! To be honest, it's more the standing in line that's tough on them... but that's where I have the best chats with folks, so I suffer (or my feet suffer) for my brain! WROL (Without Rule of Law) - Caught this show at the Westbury first off! It's a new work form Michaela Jeffrey about grade 8 girls forming their own offshoot girl scout group in order to prepare (prep) for the end of everything. Emily Marisabel’s Light in the Dark production does a good job capturing the angst and anxiety of grade 8 girls (I teach junior high and it felt very 'right' to me). Think Greta Thunberg warning of the dangers of what is coming and feeling like no one's listening. Between them they create videos to educate, classroom presentations, school apologies (sorry not sorry) for misguided demonstrations. These flashbacks are peppered throughout their discovery of a hideout possibly a cl...

Sometimes - when you go to a different Venue - you get totally new suggestions! So that's why it's good to get around to the different sites at the Fringe! Today I was at Grindstone for a couple of shows and got so great new Word of Mouth recommendations! Word of Mouth - Sunday, August 18th! SeaMAN Who's Afraid of Winnie-the-Pooh WROL Goose! Local Diva: The Danielle Smith Diaries LARRY Naked Lady Murder She Improvised Die-Nasty Sweet Jesus - The Gospel According to Felt What a Young Wife Ought to Know JON BENNETT vs JASON DONOVAN in DUMB TRIVIA yegDND Silence of the Lambs Jr. I'll be on the main site tomorrow - so let me know your recommendations if you see me!

I saw two shows on Saturday. I'm pacing myself this Fringe so I might not hit my usual 30+ total! But despite the slightly overcast weather, it was a nice day - not too hot and my feet could handle the walk to Sugar Swing and back to the main grounds! What a Young Wife Ought to Know - This was a very well done production of Hannah Moscovitch's script. I had not seen the show when it was done in the city in 2018 but was glad to catch it here at the Fringe. It deals with the challenges and trials of a young (a very young) wife in 1920s Ottawa dealing with managing her fertility despite a lack of support both socially and medically. This is pre-birth control pill times; this is back alley abortion and throw yourself down the stairs to end a pregnancy time; this is the time when women frequently dies in childbirth. This is the time when you are looked at with disgust and judged when you ask for help for how to prevent a pregnancy. Anyhow, the show was very well done. The cast of ...

Many of the folks I ran into on Saturday were seeing their first show that day, but I did gather a few suggestions from people on the grounds! 638 Ways to Kill Castro AWOL Trial By Jury Murder She Improvised Fool's Gold the Musical Accidental Beach (Which might be sold out - but it's at Grindstone so fingers crossed for a holdover?) Rob and Chris (Bobby + Tina) What a Young Wife Ought to Know (Caution: topic might be challenging for some audience members) Bright Lights I've seen a couple of these but these are all recommendations from other people on the grounds! So if they were on your 'maybe' list, or if you are looking to fill a hole in your schedule, these are options!  Tickets: https://tickets.fringetheatre.ca/events/ 

I caught three shows yesterday afternoon and had a wonderful time! Bright Lights - So funny and so well done! This script is hilarious but it only works because the acting and directing is so excellent! I mean, you have to figure those that attend a group for Alien Abduction "experiencers" are going to provide opportunity for huour but I was laughing so much! Great to see some of our finest local actors in this piece and some in roles you wouldn't expect to hilarious effect! See it! ROB AND CHRIS (BOBBY+TINA)-A NEW MUSICAL - Another excellent show. This one a new musical based on Collin Doyle's Let the Light of Day Through ( perhaps the best new script I have seen ever and I think of it often... ). The musical is the same but different, as it is a musical. But it is excellent. Doyle worked with Matt Graham to adapt the piece and it still has it's humour and heart break, but now with wonderful songs. I would avoid spoilers if you haven't seen the play as I th...

Word of Mouth I asked folks in the line-ups and beer tents if they had any shows to recommend. These are shows they enjoyed and thought people would like. I have not seen most of them and your tastes may vary - BUT if you like the idea of the show and it's on this list, it's probably a good bet! I've added disclaimers where they were provided by the provider! Rat Academy (which might be Sold Out but I heard a rumour it may play in the city after the Fringe) Oddball Cabaret Let's Not Turn on Each Other Alison Wunderland Heartstrings: An Improvised Theatre Experience Brother Love's Good Time Gospel Hour (Only for those not easily offended) Naked Mennonite That's What She Sang Bright Lights Rob and Chris (Bobby and Tina)

It's time for the Fringe Festival - the Edmonton Theatre Community's most special time of year! I successfully purchased my Double Fringer Pass and after sorting through the 200+ offerings on hand in the Program I booked myself 20+ shows and waited anxiously for the kick-off last night! The Theme this year is "Find Your Fringe!" and that is what I encourage all of you to do. With 200+ shows, you can literally construct a Fringe that is custom made for you. I personally like a mix of shows, but this year I am comedy heavy as I wanted choices to lift my spirit, but if you are into historical, drama, improv, clown, experimental, quirky, political, musical, drag, burlesque new works - you can design a Fringe that fits you like a glove! I caught an 8 pm show last night - a new work and a musical called Regression by local company Cathexis Theatre . Cathexis has been producing new musicals at the Fringe for several years and this one explores the impact and inspiration of...