Under the Mango Tree - So Glad I Went

Under the Mango Tree was a show that I almost didn't see. The only time that it fit in my schedule was a 10:30PM performance and it was its own trip downtown.

I am so very glad that I didn't stay in.

Telling a semi-autobiographical story spanning what would have to be about 10 or 12 years, it lets us into the life of Timal a 10-yea-old girl at the start of the play, whose father leaves her village in Fiji to find a new life in Canada. As the years pass, the only communication Timal has with her father is through the letters they write to each other.

There is a lot to like in this show. First, it tells a story that feels real. It neither glosses over pain, nor does it dwell on it. It mixes dissapointment and hope, joy and resignation. Moreover, it does not fall into a cliche story pattern, which I was happy to see.

Congratulations to Neenesh Dubois, who performs the show simply and with integrity. I must also say that even with the very small Tuesday late-night house, her energy and commitment never wavered.

This play shows a side of the immigration story that is not given enough attention, and does it nicely. Well worth seeing.

Sunday Fringe - Three Wonderful Plays

Today's Fringe brings three recommendations your way.

First, some preamble. I am a strong believer that there is not such thing as "children's" theatre or "adult" theatre. There is good, engaging theatre, and there is the other kind. A great amount of "adult" theatre can and should have more children in the audience, and a good amount of "children's" theatre should have more adults in the audience.

The two shows that I saw today as part of the FringeKids! part of the Fringe festival are good plays, pure and simple, and I have no hesitation recommending them to both adults and children.

First, The Cat of Kensington, by Kirsten Harvey and Shaun McComb (who also appear in the show) with music and lyrics by Waylen Miki. This adaptation of the Puss in Boots story, with an obvious Toronto flavour, is simply told, and entertainingly acted. I was a bit dissapointed in that it did not follow the thread of the original Pereault tale very closely, which it could have done to good effect. However, the story as presented was still an entertaining tale.  If there is true critisism to be had, it is that the energy level of the cast seemed to be low. However, it was still an entertaining evening, and a performance not so late in the day would succeed better in keeping the energy up.

Next, Fairy Tale Ending by Kieren MacMillan and Jeremy Hutton. The show opens with Jill (Meagan Tuck), our protagonist, wondering why the tales her grandmother told her as a child have started to lose the happy endings alluded to in the title. This is a brilliant piece, and a must-see for any Fringer. The witty music, and lyrics reminded me a little of Jason Robert Brown, in a good way. The book stretches the well known fairy tales of Goldilocks, The Three Little Pigs, and The Billy Goats Gruff, without ever fracturing them.  The packing is quick, and there's more than enough banter and character work to keep people of all ages entertained. The performances were spot on, across the board. However, I have to make special mention of Adrian Shepherd-Gawinski, Carl Swanson, and Mike Wisniowski as "The Three."

I will not be surprised if an expanded version of this show is seen on a main stage in the near future. See it now so that you can say you were there.

The third show that I took in today was Bosco and Jones, book and lyrics by Rachael and Brett McCaig and music by Scott white. Depite my statement about how there isn't really "adult" theatre, this production is most certainly not suitable for young children. However, for adults (late teens and above) it is a delightfully dirty musical talking a walk on the off-colour side of comedy. When vaudville performer Bosco (Paul Constable) is reunited with his Ventriloquest dummy Jones (Matt Bois) a number of years after falling out, sparks fly as old wounds are reopened, but ultimately healed. The conceit of the show is a bit of a strech, but is easily forgiven as songs such as "She Gives Me Wood" and "Bumper Sticker Love" take you to a happy place of guilty giggles. A number of jokes here push (and cross) the boundary of good taste so if you are easily offended, you might stay away. However, compared to something like South Park, the content is surely tame. The program notes indicate that this is a shortened version of what was originally a 90 minute script. I hope to see the full version at some point in the future.  In all, a great way to end the evening.

All of these shows continue to run this week at the Fringe Festival. Don't miss out.

Saturday Fringe - I want more

So today at the Fringe I was left wanting more. Not more shows, but more out of the shows I saw. All of the performances today had things to recommend them, but also things that worked against them. Here’s the run down.

Lucky 9
by TJ Dawe
(www.tjdawe.com)
presented by Big Sandwich Productions from Vancouver, BC

I really enjoyed TJ’s performance last year, and the scripts of his that I have read since then. He typically presents a mix of fictionalized autobiography, insight, and storytelling. This year, however, the material seemed too expositional. Instead of being placed at the foundation of the stories being told, references to The Wire, the works of Dr. Gabor Mate, and The Wisdom of the Enneagram by Riso and Hudson, were allowed to come to the forefront, resulting in a performance that was sometimes more book report than theatre. A lack of staging also contributed to the "lecture" feel of the piece.

That aside, there were some joyful moments to be had. In particular, a monologue recasting Olympic athletes as tax lawyers brought deep laughter, especially in the recent wake of the G-20 summit. If you have enjoyed Dawe’s work in the past, I am sure you will continue to enjoy this show. It is just not one of his strongest offerings.

Step
by Audra Simmons
(thedarksidestudio.com)
presented by Lavish Dance Company from Toronto

One of the best moves that the Fringe ever did was to introduce dance performances to the festival. I always try to see at least one each year now. This year it was Step, a belly dance performance by xxxx?

The dancing was generally good, with all dancers showing technical ability. However, as a whole, they lacked the presence and intensity that is needed to push the show firmly into “performance” territory. There were exceptions through the hour to this point, however.  One performer who was always “on” and stood out in my mind. Unfortunately, I shall have to call her “little red” because I cannot figure out from the program whether she was Victoria Buston or Danielle Davies. If you see the production, or even the flyer, you’ll know who I’m talking about.

Audra Simmons’ choreography was enjoyable, but became repetitive after a while. The program notes talked about how each performer was a style and interpretation of her own. Unfortunately, they were not given a vehicle to truly allow this to happen. What we are left with is what could be an excellent 30 minute performance, pulled into an hour.

The Complex: A Toronto Tale
by Jack Grinhaus
(www.boundtocreate.com)
presented by Bound to Create Theatre from Toronto

Complex indeed. Jack Grinhaus’ script intertwines 4 storylines, all potentially causes of a house fire on Canada Day 2010. Unfortunately, I think it is probably 1 or 2 story-lines to many to follow and develop given the one hour performance. There is a lot of strength here, but it is strength that needs to be developed, with some of the structure cleaned up, and some of the interactions between the storylines enhanced. I will be very interested if this is expanded in the future.

The cast is uniformly strong, and makes the best parts of the material shine. The direction, as well, has some very interesting moments, though one dream sequence struck me as a touch absurd. Overall, however, this is a strong performance of material that I hope will be expanded further.