Fringe day five

The No Bullshit History of Invention

More lecture than theatrical presentation. Kyle Allatt delivers an engaging set of fun facts and tidbits looking at inventions that we may take for granted and the inventors behind them. An enjoyable distraction, but without any strong take-away ideas.

Recommended for trivia buffs.

Wireless Connection

A performance that actually works on the stage of the Al Green theatre! This generally high energy dance performance showcases the work of young choreographers Amy Adams and Kylie Thompson and the performances of the Point of View Dance Project. Working with themes of technology and connection, I think this company and work show promise.

My largest criticism: The light levels were too low in many points, so that the intricacies of the dance and movements of the dancers were lost. In a brief talkback after the show, this issue was also noticed by an audience member other than me, so I'm not alone in this thought.

My biggest suggestion to the choreographers: The choreography does an excellent job at marrying the music and the movement, but at sometimes feels limited by the sound. Explore allowing the dance to have its own independent rhythms in counterpoint and contrast to the music so that you get a conversation and work that expands beyond the music.

Recommended

Knots

This piece feels more like exploratory workshop, and at some points felt like drama exercise on stage, rather than completed piece. Sketches fell flat more often than they hit home, and I was left confused about the perspective being communicated. Political arguments put forward ranged from simplistic to confused, to factually flawed, and overall the piece lacks cohesion.

Not recommended.

Folk Lordz: Warriors & Fools

Todd Houseman and Ben Gorodetsky return with their improvisational storytelling, this time pulling from Cree-Blackfoot story tradition and the tales of the fools of Chelm. As an improvised show, it is hard to say how any given performance will pan out (the one I attended took a rather dark turn) but Houseman and Gorodetsky are skilled in their craft. I really enjoyed attending an improvisation that focused on the telling of a longer-form story rather than the short vignette work that I am more accustomed to. This is certainly a harder form to master, and the Folk Lordz do it well.

Recommended

Little Fires

A dance double-bill from Polynomials and Blue Ceiling Dance.

Lucy Rupert's stripped down remount of The animals and planning an intervention opens the performance and is physically and emotionally intense. This is a nuanced and mature work, beautifully presented. It is also the stronger of the two pieces.

The second piece, a four-hander by Karissa Fyrrar, entitled A Pocket Full of Matches, while certainly not simplistic, still lacked the nuance of the partner piece. I found it also suffered from its choice of music, with most of the choreography to a highly repetitive and a-melodic, ambiant music. A moment of humour involving google-eyes broke the mold and raised my attention, but generally, the piece needed more shape to keep me engaged.

While both these pieces were worth of recommendation, I fear a fringer who does not typically see dance may find them harder to access. So..

Recommended for those Fringers who regularly see dance pieces, or want to be challenged by a dance piece at the Fringe.

The Stage Manager's Guide to Dating Assholes

This is a comedy for theatre people, with some very good laughs to be had. The first half, in particular, is very tight, and very witty. Generally strong performances all around as we meet three SMs: The Sergeant, the Cheerleader, and the one who can't get her shit together. We also meet the arrogant asshole director on whose show they are working, and for whom they (in their own ways) fall for.

Unfortunately, a musical number half way through the show feels more thrown together than crafted, and derails the focus of the play. The tone, wit, and plot, never really recover.

This is a good comedy, but falls short of being the gem that it could be with a bit more craft and polish.

Still, recommended.

Fringe day 4

Angels and aliens

jeff Leard is one of my sure bets for any fringe festival, and he remains so. What I love about his work is that, while he has a strong and consistant presence and style, he does not get stuck in a single structure, and is never repetitive. 

Angles and Aliens is a two hande that juxtaposes an awkward day after the night before conversation (two room mates, a sexual tryst, and something to do with qinuoa) with the angels and aliens of the title and their experiences watching, influencing, and being frustrated by the totality of human progress.

The humour is smart, and the construction of the piece is solid. The performances, as expected, are strong. Two performers at ease with their audience and material, and able to make improvised asides (at least at my performance).  I have to give praise, as well, for the ending, which is more complex and "true" (whatever that means) than your average comedy-driven fringe fair.

Not a surprise that I highly recommend this piece. 

Life list 

 Alex tries to straddle the line between birdwatching tour and sharing personal stories related to his childhood, and the love of birds cultivated through his relationship with his late mother.  

He does a good job of constructing the universe of the play. Chance run ins with his friend, Andrew, give a particular quirky richness to the world he creates. However, in trying to strike the balance between immersion and story telling, it falls too early into the immersion of birdwatching, and short changes the potential emotional payoff of the story arc. Still, a unique experience and a welcome change of pace to the usual dark room theatre experience. 

Recommended. 

note: once you check in with your ticket, ask to be shown directly to the meeting place. It will help the show get off to a faster start.  

 The Harvester

in the distant future, humanity has found a way to stay young and healthy indefinitely by harvesting and injecting time. However, the process has levied a cost on society. The harvester of the main title is one of the last remaining members of human race, waiting out the global destruction and anticipating the earth's renewal. When a woman from his past arrives, he must choose his future.  

The premise of this show is strong, and the actions flows well.  Strong performances from both actors, and a well realized set design. Unfortunately at 45 minutes, this feels more like an extended scene in search of a wider context. While the conceit of the show is explored, the impacts of the various revelations are not, and the result is that I left feeling unsatisfied. to make a written word analogy this show was more than short story, but less than novella.

Part of me wants to recommend this show for its 45 minutes of performance, but I don't think it's quite enough to carry my recommendation. However, if you happen to be in the area and are considering using this show to fill up your fringe card, I wouldn't discourage you. 

Not recommended (but only barely)

Get Yourself Home Skyler James

This piece by Jordan Tannahill is based on the real life experience of Skyler James, a young woman who fled  the US army and fled to Canada in 2007 after being outed as lesbian and facing ongoing harassment in the us army under the Don't Ask Don't policies. 

Presented here as a one woman monologue taking place prior to James' deportation hearings, we witness Skyer James (at this point a KFC employee) telling her story after having tot come clean about her previous life to her current girlfriend (never seen but locked in a bathroom after learning of Skyler's past). 

Natasha Raymondino as the titular character, gives an engaging performance, and a moving climax. Ali Joy Richardson's direction make good use of the performance space, and keeps the momentum going going. My only strong criticism is that, typically in the more introspective and emotionally vulnerable moments, the production either forgets or ignores that fact that Skyler's audience is actually behind a door and drops the volume. This does affect the audience's ability to enjoy the play, but bothered me on reflection. However, it is not a criticism that will stop me from recommending what is, in the summary, a full and satisfying character study.

Recommended

Getting Odd

Despite a promising first few minutes in which, on a stormy night, a neophite hiker lost in the woods stumbled on a cabin in which a solitary recluse peels her vegetables, the show, like the hiker, quickly lost its way. Fantasy scenes, flashbacks, hard-to-track timeline, and inconsistent character actions created a muddle. Illustrative examples: a newbie hiker lost in the woods for three days, yet still chipper enough to want to share her trail mix, and not ask for water; a woman with an operational truck who does not like visitors, and yet makes no offer to drive a lost wanderer to town.

A confused story of an author whose fictional work about dealing with an unspecified mental illness is taken as autobiography and the fallout of that... maybe. As I said, a muddle.

Not recommended.

The Pirate Queen of the Stars

Pure fun and enjoyment! A musical comedy and homage to the main players of science fiction fandom. With nods to Star Trek, Star Wars, Doctor Who, Firefly and firefly (and probably some others), an upbeat score, and witty writing, this was my late night treat!

The plot, such as it is, involves the eponymous Pirate Queen returning to the first ship she ever served on, one on which a mutiny occurred oh so many years ago. Accompanied by her trusty, though lovestruck, robot, shananigans occur when a wanna-be arch villain and the leader of the space army also arrive. And who is the mysterious figure wafting through the scenes?

Uniformly strong performances all around. My only major desire would be the addition of an epilogue as the fates of a few characters are left somewhat in the air at the end. Perhaps there will be a sequel.

Recommended, especially for fans of Star **** parody.

Fringe day three

#mannaquingirl

This one woman musical was pure fun. Exploring questions around the nature of internet fame and personal worth in a digital age, this show tells the story of Kelsie (aka MannequinGirl), who one day is hit on the head by a mannequin falling for a building. Her resulting injuries bring her, and the mannequin, which she takes home, an amount of Internet fame. What happens next is the subject of the musical. 

While some moments felt a bit slow, the overall trajectory of the show was strong. Alyssa Minchillo's performance engages, and the music and lyrics by Eliza Blue Musslewhite are catchy and witty. 

A fun hour. 

Recommneded. 

Alpha Delta 86

Strong clown work from Kiva Murphy and Filipa Mendes keep the audience entertained with a humour that is by turns delightfully cruel and surprisingly kind. As two spies in a diastolic future, identifying citizens infected by love and dispatching them to quarantine or execution as required (a plot that makes me wonder right now if it is in any way inspired but the novel We) we gain clues that they may in fact be hunting down people closer to themselves than they realize.

while the clown worn and specific vignettes are strongly executed, the premise and overall plot line fails to hang together in a satisfactory way. The final reveal, as a result, lacks the intended punch. 

That said, as a clown piece in and of itself, it's a good hour. 

Recommeded for the clown work, not for any larger import.  

We are xx

The Xx of the title refers here to the sex chroma zones of human women. 

The piece is a spoken word presentation of the works of the three young women who also perform: Samay Arcentales Cajas, Rafia Salam, and Anne Vo. their work explores themes of inequality and subversive other-ism that pervades even Canada's just culture.

As performers, each has their moments of strength and weakness. Anne Vo is the most consistently strong on stage. However, what impresses most is the content of the poetry and scene work. While some pieces lack depth, other are surprisingly nuanced. In particular, Images around the ttc as relating to freedom of moment, not just within a city, but across national boundaries, felt very topical, especially in these post Brexit weeks. At other moments, scene work displayed a strong grasp of crafting meaningful comedy. If nothing else, these three women show great promise as writers.

At 45 minutes, the piece fields just right. Long enough to make their points, while not belabouring them. 

Ali Joy Richardson is listed as the developmental director, Meg Moran as director and Jijo Quayson as dramaturge. Thank you, the three of you, for helping bring the voices of these three young women to the stage.  

A voice of youth with something to say.  heartening.

Recommended. 

Evolution/Mr. Truth

A strong, if strange double bill. Not strange because of the content of either of the two pieces, but strange in the pairing. 

Evolution opens the bill, and is an intricate and beautiful pas de deux exploring themes of (no surprise) the evolution of the title.  From the opening poses, I was impressed by this piece, and my esteem for the choreographer and performers didn't wane. In particular, the more intricte contact work was engrossing. 

This was followed up by Mr. truth, a sketch and movement piece (primarily sketch) exploring the worlds of sex, sexuality, and transgressive sexual fetish. It generally remains light, and even the darkest thread (dealing with fantasies of sadomasochism and abduction fantasies) takes a properly foreshadowed though still unexpected lighter turn. There's nothing particulalry illuminating here, but it moves along and is enjoyable overall.

Where evolution is elegant and poetic, Mr. Truth is more earthy, though it avoids the crass. 

Recommended.