From Fringe With Love Draws to a Close... A very good year...

So today was the final day of the Fringe.  I saw 16 shows which is a little low for me, but luckily I seem to have chosen well and I feel sated with my theatre choices. I also saved the best (meaning, My Favorite) for the last day.  There is satisfaction in that... and I am not sure why...

Anyhow, I started the day today with Princess Confidential.  It was delightful.  A Detective/Fairy Tale which was funny for kids and for adults.  I found it very smart and it had the right amount of action and explanation.  The script, by Ellen Chorley, is well paced and clever and the two actors, Merran Carr-Wiggin and Neil Kuefler, shift humorously from character to character re-enacting re-interpreted fairy tales to solve the mystery.  The updates of the classic fairy tales are familiar enough for us to know the story, but freshened up with modern interpretations that fit the detective theme.  A lot of fun.

I had a wee break - and a horrible dining experience at O2's - and then headed to my second show for the day.

Although I tend to stick to plays at Fringe, I had heard a lot about the 11 O'clock Number, the improvised musical group that started up this year at the Varscona.  And since I am rarely up for a late evening finding the 4:15 p.m. show at Fringe was perfect.  It was a hoot.  Like all improv shows, some things/songs/scenes worked better than others, but the group is charismatic and it was fun watching them walk that tight rope of 'what now?'  Adrienne Salmon and Jason Hardwick were stand-outs to me, with Salmon delivering a beautiful solo ballad lamenting her parents never buying her a dog as a child. If I can stay up late enough, I may go back during the regular season to see what else they can do!

And then I saw A Picasso.  What a show.  That's the one - my favorite this year.  Julian Arnold, completely transformed into Pablo Picasso (he's almost unrecognizable) against the stunning and sharply intelligent Shannon Blanchet as Miss Fischer, the German art critic.  It's a brilliantly written play set in Paris during the occupation and John Hudson has done a wonderful job with it.  Everything was perfect.  It's in hold-overs at the Varscona.  If you didn't see it - you absolutely should.  I was drawn into it in less than 5 minutes and they held me tight until the end.  It didn't hurt that I know a bit about Picasso and Guernica, but I think the more important thing is understanding the artist's attitude towards art and it's impact on culture, as well as the seductive power of art.

Finally, I ended the evening with Promise and Promiscuity: A Jane Austen Musical.  It was a lot of fun. I'm a fan of Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility so I enjoyed a lot of the references and there was a wonderful incorporation of pop culture music and other references.  It's a one woman show and was a fun way to end the festival.

Ah well, until next year...

One last Word of Mouth...

A couple more Word of Mouth shows from the line-ups! Sorry I have not been as diligent about it this year!

Matchstick
Little Fish
God is a Scottish Drag Queen
Grim and Fischer
Coraline
Never Let the Crew See You Cry
Scratch

Saturday - Terrific Fringing! Great Shows AND Green Onion Cake!

Second last day of a slow Fringe for me and I took in four solid shows.


I started with Port Authority (shout out for being Held Over!! Way to go, local group done good).  It was an excellent piece, well-paced with solid performances. I liked the subtlety of it and it's realness. It has both sadness and humour and makes you think about regret and missed opportunities.

Next we caught The Lonely Hearts.  It too was very well done, a solid script and well performed with an interesting vaudeville-like approach.  It left me a little unsettled, however, as the subject was a bit macabre and the fat jokes were hard to take after a while.  Many strong things to this show, but I think I will be thinking about this one for a while.  It's a matter of wanting the laughs to be unencumbered, I think, but sometimes I felt guilty for laughing.  Does that make sense?  It too is held over - at the Varscona - so catch it if you can and tell me what you think.

Then a well-deserved break to eat green onion cakes and cool down.  We grabbed our festival food favorite and headed to the air conditioned interior of the main box office.  Those first two shows were both in non-air-conditioned buildings and we needed to lower our core temperatures!  It was a yummy break and then we headed off for more shows.

Third on the list was Little Fish.  It was really well done.  Strong singers and actors and a very tight ensemble. I am unfamiliar with the composer and I will admit I cannot recall any of the songs, but while they were happening I was engaged.  I really liked the choreography and how well everyone stayed in the world at all times.  There was no checking out and waiting - it was 100% present from all cast members all the time.  It was nice to see this company (The Plain Janes) do this less traditional musical and equally nice to see something I did not know. I was also impressed with the acoustics.  No mics, but it was never an issue - all the voices were strong and the Varscona has brilliant acoustics. The play itself led to discussions about what it was trying to say and I always love a show that lives beyond it's final notes.  It's the talking about it afterwards that indicated whether it was truly interesting.

Finally we ended our evening with Countries Shaped Liked Stars.  It was beautiful and silly and tuneful and so funny, yet sad (only at the end).  Lovely use of low-tech magic and a commitment to the world that was beautiful.  Both actors were charismatic and engaged the audience beautifully.  And, oh, the music bordered on magical.  There's a whimsy to this piece that is truly lovely and it's great for all ages - it's based on a children's book.

A lovely end to a great day of Fringe-tastic theatre!

Friday Fringe Two-Pack!

Last night I started the final weekend of the Fringe with another two solid shows.  The festival is winding down so if you haven't bought your tickets yet and the show you want to see is not on the holdovers list here or here, then you need to get on it! My weekend is planned, with another 4 shows today and 4 tomorrow.

Last night I began the evening with Tuesdays With Morrie produced at the Walterdale Playhouse by Leo Llama Productions. It was a loving and sincere production that got me a little choked up at all the right places (and from the sniffling in the audience, I was not alone).  Well performed and well directed it fit nicely onto the Walterdale Stage. I was so glad to get tickets as it sold out quickly, but fortunately a friend of a friend had two extra tickets to sell - Whew!

We had a little supper to fill our 2 hour break and then we were off to see Truck Theatre's Or, at OSPAC.  It started a little on the wordy side, but luckily the three actors were very strong and could handle the dialogue. It's a sexy little piece about Aphra Behn (played by Kristy Hansen), former spy and one of the first women playwrights in the world of Charles II. It was a show that was best when Garrett Ross' and Clarice Eckford's multitudes of characters went in and out seamlessly with us never knowing who was going to come in the room next.  It was a fun, sexy romp which touched on the sexual politics of the day in love, life and work.

At this point I am patting myself on the back for picking good stuff... so far no duds!

I do have some Fringe pet-peeves to vent.  Please people, leave your dogs at home.  It's too crazy at the Fringe Site for dogs and I have seen some huge ones and ones that have not been very well controlled (one was literally dragging it's owner all over the place - definitely not ready for a crowded fringe site), but beyond that, even if you are sure your dog is 'fine', some people are not comfortable around dogs they do not know and this is not a place you expect to see them  At the very least, be attentive to how people are reacting to your dog and not make them have to make the huge path around you.  It's my pet peeve, but I thought that was the official fringe rule for the site so I was quite shocked to encounter 7 dogs in less than 10 minutes on Thursday night.

Here is the official Fringe "Policy" (from their website):

PETS ON SITE

Only service animals are allowed in theatres and welcome on site. We strongly recommend that all other pets stay at home.

• The Fringe site can be quite crowded and chaotic which is dangerous for both pets and patrons.
• Weather on site can be unpredictable and extreme which is dangerous for animals.
• There are no on-site provisions for water for animals.
• Pet disposition may vary and some adults and children are afraid of animals. We want the site to be a fun and safe place for everyone!
• The site features food preparation and animals pose a potential public health risk.
• Animals are not permitted in theatres, Beer Tents or the Wine & Spirits Tent. Leave your pet at home so you can enjoy the Festival to its fullest!

Second Pet-Peeve: Babies in audiences.  Okay, I don't have a problem with a baby actively enjoying a show, but if you bring your baby or small child to a non-kid show, hmmmm... let's say Tuesdays With Morrie, for example.  The first time he or she cries or fusses you need to take them out of the theatre and miss the rest of the show.  Or maybe the second time, or third. How about the fourth time? Not the sixth or seventh with ten minutes left in the play. That's all I am saying.  Every time that child cries you have taken the people in the audience out of the show.  You owe them all $15.00.  So just don't do it.

Third Pet Peeve: Smoking in the crowds watching the outdoor shows.  It's gross for the rest of us. Go somewhere else.  Sorry, I know it's an addiction, but you are ruining my experience and when I leave before the end of the outdoor performance because I can't handle your smoke then that performer doesn't get my money.  I hope you are putting in double in the hat to cover for that.

So that's my rant... Enjoy your fringe!

Three, no wait, Two More Shows!

There was a stalled vehicle on the high level bridge.  That stalled vehicle made me and Oliver very unhappy. That stalled vehicle made my journey a good 35-45 minutes longer than it should have been and as a result, despite trying our hardest, we were 2 MINUTES LATE for The Kidprovisors.  I was really looking forward to it, especially because Oliver was.  I had to minimize his resultant grumpiness by plying him with mini-donuts and ice cream.  Then he weaseled a t-shirt and a mine craft pin out of me. I have heard that the RFT early show is a little more family friendly so I might try to take the boys (or at least Oliver) a few times in the year.  I want to cultivate his appreciation for it!

Anyhow, after I did the Kid-Exchange with Mark, I headed off to my second (now first) show of the evening, Cayce Grey in FAMILY SQUABBLES.  I was so funny.  What a clever script where the fourth wall is shattered to great effect.  Lots of topical humour, some fabulous interpretive dance, fart-balls, and it's literally all that AND a bag of chips!  Great fun!

The evening was clearly looking up!

And it finished with a BANG!  I headed off to catch Trout Stanley at the Telephone Museum.  I had heard this was a very hysterical script and I was not disappointed.  It has a Fringe-Aesthetic in that it's odd, but oh-so-funny.  Played perfectly by the cast of three with sharp direction it rises above the typical fringe fare, yet seem so perfect for this kind of festival.  Let's just say there is nothing predictable about it and that's a very good thing.

Sorry, no Word of Mouth today.  I talked to a few strangers in the theatres and line-ups, but few had seen much.  I will endeavour to seek out more suggestions tomorrow night so that you can end your Fringe with some good stuff!

A Little Neil Gaiman set to Music! Coraline: the Musical at the Fringe!

I saw my fourth show tonight at the Fringe.  I pick up speed later this week, but the start has been slow for me in terms of numbers of shows. It bothers me too that I haven't seen more, but I do have tickets purchased for 14 shows and room for more if I feel up to it!

When I heard there was a musical version of Neil Gaiman's Coraline and that someone was doing it at the Fringe I was intrigued.  When I saw the company that was doing it (Impossible Mongoose) and the cast list I was officially excited. I am glad to say it lived up to my expectations.  It's delightful!  They created a very full world and conceptually this is quite the experience.  Low Tech Magic pays off, and they capture the romantic creepiness that Gaiman's story requires.  If you can't make it darkly whimsical it won't work - but they do and it's terrific!  Well done!  It's not typical and familiarity with the story or Neil Gaiman's style is recommended, but not necessary.  They really sell it and they do it well. It's a tight ensemble so to single anyone out is silly as the all contribute to a very even production, but I will give credit to Corben Kushneryk's direction - it's spot-on!

Day 6 Word of Mouth
I also got a few more Word of Mouth recommendations today (some repeats, some new):

Tompongelo vs. the Sky Lobster
The Rambler
Jake's Gift
Countries Shaped Like Stars
God is a Scottish Drag Queen
Off Book: The Musical
Zombie Apocalypse: Dead or Alive
Snap
Trout Stanley
Scratch
Grim and Fischer
Little Fish
Or,
Port Authority
Shipwrecked

I am happy that several of these are on my list!  I look forward to seeing them!

Word of Mouth - Day Five of the Fringe

I took advantage of being around people who have seen a lot of shows while at the Theatre Alberta/Fringe Fundraising Event tonight.  Here are the 'must-see' shows from those I spoke to:

Nashville Hurricane
A Picasso
Promise and Promiscuity
Assassinating Thompson
Countries Shaped Like Stars
God is a Scottish Drag Queen
Grim and Fischer
Hot Thespian Action
Ludwig and Lohengrin
The Tenant Haimovitz
They Call Me Mr. Fry