More Fringe reviews

>> Clowns, Mounties, kings and perogies

SCREWBALL SOVEREIGNS: The King of Fifteen Island

by AMY BARRATT

The King of Fifteen Island

Shortly before the Fringe began, Jeremy Taylor found out that, on the strength of his play, The King of Fifteen Island, he had been accepted into the playwriting program at the National Theatre School. Watching said play, which Taylor has directed himself for the Fringe, one can understand why. The King of Fifteen Island is a promising piece: an absurdist comedy with dark undertones, both interpersonal and geopolitical. It concerns a bizarre family that has taken up residence on an “island” in the English Channel, and the British civil servant who arrives one day to throw a wrench into their peacefully deranged existence. Taylor’s plotting sometimes tries too hard, but his dialogue is clever, and the casting is terrific. (Venue 8, Bain St-Michel, 5300 St-Dominique)

Scaramouche Jones

Scaramouche Jones is a monologue delivered by a clown on his 100th birthday. Written by British playwright Justin Butcher, the play premiered in Dublin with Pete Postlethwaite. The production at the Fringe comes from Nelson B.C.’s Livingroom Theatre, and it stars, and is directed by, Michael Graham. Doing double-duty doesn’t work here; this dense, beautifully written show needs a director. Graham launches into Scaramouche’s life story without giving us a strong enough sense of why. In the performance I saw (his first of the Fringe) he stumbled over his lines and overall the thing lacked energy. (Venue 7, Portuguese Association of Canada, 4170 St-Urbain)

Dickens of the Mounted

Dickens of the Mounted is similar to Scaramouche in that it presents one character essentially telling his life story. The play, based on the book of the same name by Eric Nicol, is a sort of historical fantasy. It seems that Frank Dickens, ne’er-do-well son of the famous author, signed up with the North West Mounted Police in the 1870s. Trying valiantly to overcome a drinking habit, a stutter and a daddy complex, he makes his way from east to west across the country, battling cold and mosquitoes and attempting to negotiate with Indians along the way.

Actor Kristian Bruun tells the story using a few costume pieces pulled from trunks and a couple of wooden boards used to represent everything from a drinking surface to a Christmas tree. Dickens presents his story in the form of humorous letters home to his friend Ezra, a barkeep. Director Brad Lepp keeps things moving along nicely, giving us an enjoyable ride. The ending, however, is too abrupt and not very effective. (Venue 7, Portuguese Association of Canada, 4170 St-Urbain)

Deep Fried Curried Perogies

Probably the most fully realized show I’ve seen so far is Deep Fried Curried Perogies. Less tightly written than either Scaramouche or Dickens, it is presented with great joy and flair by Edmonton’s Michelle Todd. The premise is that Ms. Todd finds out she and her boyfriend are expecting a baby, and this triggers some soul-searching about cultural identity. You see, Todd is of Jamaican and Filipino extraction, while her partner has British and Ukrainian roots. The title is her speculating about what food their child might bring to “ethnic day” at kindergarten. Unlike some other one-person shows, this one is not just a word bombardment. Todd puts to use an amazing ear for accents; there are bits of physical comedy, and all those childhood dance classes are used brilliantly in a couple of dance montages. Thoroughly enjoyable. (Venue 7, Portuguese Association of Canada, 4170 St-Urbain)