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~ video review by Karen Flynn WRITTEN REVIEW BY KAREN ROLLER: Jon Bennett’s How I Learned to Hug is a fast paced story of Jon’s trials and tribulations with love starting with grade school and including losing his virginity. But don’t worry he takes time to breathe.. and to run.. run so far away. With a few visual aids such as a projection screen and a pink satin dress he shares his most embarrassing moments including his horrible tattoo while he manages to incorporate references to his other project Pretending Things are a Cock. I think anyone who has loved and lost can relate to this piece and Bennett helps us realize that it’s okay to laugh at yourself and move on. Engaging, humorous and vulnerable he is a great storyteller and worth seeing. ~ written review by Karen Roller
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Rachel and Zoe: Uncorked and Uncensored produced by PrettyUgly Theatre Productions performed at the Waterfront Theatre definitely gets pretty naughty at times. There’s nudity, sexual performances, coarse language, violent content, and of course, a whole lot of wine. For myself personally, some of the jokes and gags fell flat, but as the story progresses it turns out to get quite serious which for me made the performance much more enjoyable. This three person show portrays the effects dysfunctioning and abusive relationships have on one’s mental and physical health, and the performers, Hannah Gibson-Fraser and Jodi Morden, do a great job performing their emotional monologues. It’s not the show for everyone, especially if you’re uncomfortable seeing nudity up on stage and some of the dialogue feels stilted. However, it is an enjoyable performance, and Gibson-Fraser and Morden have created likeable characters that have a genuine friendship with each other. Rachel and Zoe: Uncorked and Uncensored by PrettyUgly Theatre Productions is playing 6 - 16 September at Waterfront Theatre as part of the 2018 Vancouver Fringe Festival. ~ reviewed by Jenna Masuhara
TJ Dawe has earned his reputation as a storyteller. A Canadian Bartender at Butlin’s is the most conversational of all the performances I’ve seen at the Fringe so far. Some of it is dramatized, but for the most part we simply see TJ sharing some of the stories of his life with us, recounting them casually and humorously like someone entertaining his friends around a campfire. Yet this is just a conceit. We do not see the usual stumbling of speech, groping for memories, or pawing for the right word that one would expect from a campfire story. Canadian Bartender is beautifully polished. That probably isn’t surprising because, although this staging is TJ’s first re-mount of the show in fifteen years, prior to that time TJ had learned it by rote. It’s the story of a young TJ’s sabbatical to a small, struggling seaside resort in England. The performance is one part narrative, one part observational comedy. This includes some beautifully witty and mildly dark humour about death as well as a lot of observations about the differences between English and Canadian culture. Some of these cultural differences seemed to me a little obvious. I wonder if, in the intervening years, Netflix and YouTube have made Canadians more aware of English customs and idioms? Or could it be just me? Overall, Canadian Bartender is a lot of fun and a truly nourishing experience. At the end, beneath the disarming wit and humour, the thought-provoking asides, and the absorbing narrative voice, we can also marvel at the craftsmanship required to make every element of the story come together into a satisfying whole. A Canadian Bartender at Butlin's by TJ Dawe is playing at the Firehall Arts Centre 6 - 16 September as part of the 2018 Vancouver Fringe Festival. ~ reviewed by Mattias Martens
When the write up in the Fringe guide said that Una and Ray had had an illegal relationship, I was curious why that was so ambiguous. Is it too much to spell it out? The play itself spelled out the extent of their illegal relationship in detail so theatre goer be warned that this play confronts sexual abuse and has scenes of violence. Playwright, David Harrower has managed to give us a neutral view allowing us to enter into the minds of both characters and form our own opinions. Una is trying to understand what really happened and we are flies on the wall, along for the journey. This version of the play is quite emotional and intense, yet sitting beside me was a young actor who had been cast previously and commented that the version she was in, was much more playful. Blackbird by Kestrel Solutions Collective is playing at Shoreline Studios 6 - 16 September as part of the 2018 Vancouver Fringe Festival. ~ reviewed by Melody Owen
Gossamer Obsessions by Paul Blinov and Amy Shostak is a surreal sketch comedy experience. The sketches feel vaguely familiar like something you may have overheard in a dream. The script is excellently crafted and continually delights in its mutability and labyrinthine nature. The show combines sketch comedy and improvisation, taking suggestions from the audience. There was even a rhyming section. This is my favourite Fringe show thus far. It turned night into day. Every time I thought I knew what the joke was, I didn't know what the joke was and was pleasantly surprised. It may be a bit weird, but if you can put up with that, you will definitely enjoy this show. Gossamer Obsessions is playing at the Revue Stage 6 - 16 September as part of the 2018 Vancouver Fringe Festival. ~ reviewed by Annina Engelbrecht
Written and directed by Kevin Opatovsky, Who We Care For is a timely and important story of drug addiction and the consequences for the addicted and those who love them. Behind every addict is at least one person who feels hopeful, hopeless and lost. My favourite character was the young son whose anger and pain broke the tension with sarcastic and brutally honest outbursts. Someone had to say what everyone else was secretly thinking. Yet, it was obvious that he loved his father despite his failings as a parent. If you have someone in your life who struggles with mental health or addiction, be aware of the intense emotions this play may bring to the surface. Who We Care For by Strange Cat Productions is playing at the Havana Theatre 6 - 16 September as part of the 2018 Vancouver Fringe Festival. ~ reviewed by Melody Owen Click "read more" for the full video transcript.Spinning You Home, written by Sally Stubbs, is performed as a stage reading for the Fringe festival. I thought Sarah Roa playing granddaughter Sarah and Simon Webb playing Grampa were both individually well-suited to their roles. However, I did not feel like their performances complemented each other very well. There were some moments in this piece when I felt the foley – which was excellent, not just excellent by comparison – was more engaging than the conversation between the two characters. I felt uneasy for most of this show about the level of conflict and contention between these two, and I just couldn’t fully understand their motivations for continuing to be around each other. I’m not sure if I felt this way because of the stage reading format, or the unfiltered script, or due to a general struggle to grasp the tone of the performance. I feel like this show had all the right ingredients for a compelling adventure tale – travel, history, storytelling (complete with believable sound effects), spooky ghostly elements, and difficult family members – but somehow did not come together in a way that I found significant or relatable. Spinning You Home by Spinners Collective is playing at Carousel Theatre 6 - 16 September as part of the 2018 Vancouver Fringe Festival. ~ reviewed by Sonja Cvoric Click "read more" for the full video transcript.Written by Jeff Leard and Sydney Hayduk, Angels & Aliens attempts to critically examine some of humanity's biggest questions. In this production they tackle religion, politics, environmental destruction, war, and awkward roommate sex. Leard and Hayduck offer an energetic and polished performance as well as a pleasantly critical and creative perspective on the human condition. This production consisted of three separate but related narratives, which Leard and Hayduck transitioned through neatly and effectively maintaining high energy levels throughout. Overall, a wonderful and entertaining piece of theatre. Questions I am left with: I am interested in perspectives of people coming from a variety of backgrounds and belief systems and how they might respond to the narrative of this piece, as well as the critical stance Lead and Hayduck take against certain aspects of religion and politics. Angels & Aliens by Peachy Keen Productions/Active Salad Productions is playing at Studio 1398 from the 6 - 16 September as part of the 2018 Vancouver Fringe Festival. ~ reviewed by Madisen Steele Click "read more" for the full video transcript.Poly Queer Love Ballad created by Anaïs West and Sara Vickruck performed at Revue Stage is a beautiful, sweet show about two women trying to navigate a polyamorous relationship. As a musical, the music and songs intermixed throughout enhance the performance to create a special story that really hit home for me. West and Vickruck have great chemistry together and you’ll feel for both of their characters as their relationship progresses. Through songs, poetry, monologues and costume changes they artfully build a queer romance that has its ups and downs. They handle the topic in a beautiful, sincere manner and highlight the importance of communicating your personal needs as well as listening to your partner’s needs and wants when building a relationship. I think anyone can appreciate the story West and Vickruck are telling, and I feel like queer women will find it especially resonating. Poly Queer Love Ballad is playing at the Revue Stage on Granville Island 6 - 16 September as part of the 2018 Vancouver Fringe Festival. ~ reviewed by Jenna Masuhara Click "read more" for the full video transcript.Unhinged was a crazed comedic rant, with the idea that the rant comes from a lunatic jester. I could see the intent but I did not understand the storyline that Luke Purm was attempting to weave. The jester is angry and with every reason. He plays with words as he hops from one topic to another bringing his audience along with him. Although angry, our lunatic jester is quite engaged with his audience and you never feel left out. My favourite part was the math on dinosaurs and our oil supply. I am sure he added that up right. If you are angry with the world as it is today and would like a dark and purposefully absurd telling of how a lunatic jester might explain our failings, then this show will get you all worked up. Unhinged by Knight & Daïs Entertainment is playing at the Cultch Historic Theatre 6 - 16 September as part of the 2018 Vancouver Fringe Festival. ~ reviewed by Melody Owen Click "read more" for the full video transcript. |
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