It's a beautiful evening, sunny and warm, rippling water and boats (yachts) in the background, there is a slight breeze and we are full of anticipation as the play begins. We are outside in the shipyard on Granville Island and because of the surroundings and bustle of activity we are forced to listen very closely. Not solely because of the venue but the play itself demands one to actively listen and engage as it is a complex story with lofty characters and you can easily get left behind. This is not a laid back observational experience, this is environmental theatre, you...
From meeting Gerard Harris in lineups, I liked him. He seemed genuinely pleased when I told him he was on my list. And in a Woody Allenish way said, “You’re not just blowing me off, are you?” Whereupon I showed him my list and he seemed almost ecstatic. This is my favorite kind of line-up performance: a bit of improv and vulnerability thrown into the regular schtick.
The friend I went to Jem Rolls with deserted me at the Fringe Bar, but I headed back to Studio 1398 saying, “I think he might be the next Jem Rolls.” Quote from my...
Should you go and hear Jem Rolls attack the silence? Indisputably. He says he’s the only performer who puts his name in his title because he’s not wanted by the police, but I see now that he puts it there because he has a following that will go to anything that starts with “Jem Rolls.” I’ve now joined that group.
Most frequent Fringers have met Jem Rolls in line-ups. He works hard for his audience. I prefer my line-up performances more subtle, kind of sweet and a little hesitant. I’m Canadian after all. So I hadn’t been attracted to this large,...
We appropriately begin in the dark listening to a voice. This voice reels you in, it requires your attention because it is the only sound you hear and it creates images that are vivid and unique. And you find yourself slipping into a world of this voice.
Slowly the lights come up first in silhouette then finally you see the face of the voice. His story unfolding sometimes in a way which is not unlike the feeling of not being able to look away when looking at a festering sore or a car accident when you drive by. You know...
This could be the just the type of show, that you have been waiting for... Would you like to experience Theatre in its purest form? Would you like to be taken away on a Journey by someone who makes you feel like you are in the hands of an experienced professional? Well then this is the show for you!
Naomi Steinberg, is in every way just such a performer. From the moment she makes her way through the audience up to the stage, she invites us to come with her on what is an honest and inspiring journey of Life. She...
I had seen Steve Larkin’s Fringe show N.O.N.C.E. last year, and it had made me realize something I hadn’t before: I don’t know how to appreciate poetry. Knowing my shortcoming, I entered the Revue Theatre ready to devote all of my concentration to the lightning fast wordsmith, hoping to make better sense of his work this year. To my delight, such an effort was not needed and I was completely absorbed throughout the one-man play.
TES tells the story of Kester Byron, who is a direct descendant of Lord Byron, and his trials with his family and...
Written by Sheila Callaghan and directed by Sarah Rose, Lascivious Something features a tale of an American who lives on a Greek island with his attractive Greek wife. He operates vineyards, hoping to create an exceptional new vintage. The day is the last of the grape-picking. Whether he really knows much about wine is one of several intriguing unanswered questions. He is played by Sean Bygrave in a rich, utterly grounded performance.
An old girl friend - American again - of his arrives unexpectedly. The core of the drama is the evolution of this triangle, over two...
This was a must-see show for my friends who met many years ago in the restaurant business so I went along. What a fabulous way to end the evening. It takes place every day at 11 or 11:30pm at the Edible Canada restaurant where our main cast members (Pippa Mackie, Nik Bunting and Lauren Jackson) all work. There's music, there's dancing, there's lots of funny scenes and few poignant stories of life as a restaurant worker/actor.
Since this is a real restaurant, there was a quick scene change before they were ready for us. The chairs are...
This was my longest Fringe hour. There were some very funny lines but I realize my laughs were in direct proportion to my familiarity with the movies referenced and my ability to catch the reference in time.
The pre-show started with Jon Paterson and Kurt Fitzpatrick "recognizing" and interacting with famous personality lookalikes in the audience. By the time they also included the pre-show announcements about cell phones and sponsors I was getting a bit bored.
Then the show started with a scene from Casablanca, complete with Tara Travis as a piano, and the fun began. It was...
Stroke of Luck is a one man show written by and starring Jacques Lalonde. It is part stand up, part TED talk, part catching up with an old friend with a little bit of revival thrown in.
I have to confess I have never seen a Jacques Lalonde show. I know he is one of the faces of the Fringe having been involved both as a performer and volunteer at each of the 30 years of Fringe in Vancouver and I learned in the line-up how beloved he is by the Fringe community. And I can see why...
Fringe Description: Funny · Warm and Fuzzy · Family Friendly
