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Fringe
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Our reviewers assess the fest
Sabotage
III
Albuquerque duo Mark Chavez and Shenoah Allen pack a tight show with
hilarious non-stop insanity, never once losing momentum. From singing
kittens to cowboys to washing back babies with beer, their characters
are convincing, punchy and fresh. Though it’s never quite clear
why our duo is pajama-clad-to give the impression that they’re
mental patients maybe?-Sabotage III is a pleasant bout of psychosis.
Venue 3, Geordie Space. (Amy German)
The
Wallabee Parade
A very enjoyable, not to mention funny, dance show from choreographer
Big Gold Hoops, featuring, among other things, a giant bearded banana,
accordion playing and tap-dancing Rockettes. The Parade is actually
three dance pieces loosely connected with some amusing little segues
where the banana figures in; there’s also some pretty hot organ
playing from Kosher Dill Spears, a little singing and did I mention
the tap dancing Rockettes? All dance shows should be this fun-not
to be missed. Venue 1, the MAI. (Mark Slutsky)
 Cobra:
the Musical
Shakespeare’s probably spinning in his grave faster than a Hasbro
lawyer’s speed dial. Beloved cartoon terrorists Cobra (chrome-domed
Destro, Dr. Mindbender, Storm Shadow et al.) are broke and planning
a production of Hamlet to scare up some green, only to be derailed by
vanity, pettiness and sexual shenanigans. Locals Purple 9 Productions
have built a ridiculous premise out of idiotic source material, peppered
it with puerile gags and fully-realized song ’n’ dance numbers-and
pulled it off, judging by the continuous chuckles in the room. Too long,
perhaps, but despite numerous G.I. Joe-specific gags, even the unfamiliar
can find some refreshingly lowbrow laffs in this one. Venue 5, 3997
St-Laurent. (Rupert Bottenberg)
A
Condition of Our Parole
It’s a shame that Toronto sketch comedy troop The Cowards are
on parole-they should be locked up for good for character theft
(think SNL and Kids in the Hall).The Cowards take moderately funny material
and choke what’s left of it by trying to fit it into a musical
context. Though there are highlights-their transformation of Dylan
Thomas into a supervillain, adverts for Satanic investors groups-they
don’t save the show. The Cowards are trite and about as exciting
as a Mike Bullard rerun. Venue 6, Club Espagnol du Quebec. (Amy German)
Angry
Jellow Bubbles
Conceived as an outlet where women-specific issues are given the spotlight,
this well-written and charismatic show almost entirely avoids being
stale. The typical image, sexuality and relationship-related tribulations
of womanhood are evoked in original and entertaining ways; for example,
rather than just bitching about unsatisfying sexual relations, a raging
clitoris comes to life to demand stimulation. Think Bridget Jones and
the Vagina Monologues with a healthy dose of Monty Python. Venue 7,
Portuguese Association. (Claire Philipson)
Underneath
At a blood drive in the wake of Sept. 11, “E”-who may or
may not be the real Elvis-finds himself mediating between a failed filmmaker’s
petulancy and the misanthropy-by-numbers of a trust-fund alterna-brat.
This meditation on anger and intimacy in the shadow of crisis is less
than satisfying. The shifts between black humour and poignancy are unconvincing,
as are the shifts in the characters’ stances vis-à-vis
one another. What salvages the situation is a great turn by Andre Martin
in the role of E as he plays the empathic, yet bewildered punching bag
for the others’ bitterness and insecurities. Venue 5, 3997 St-Laurent.
(Rupert Bottenberg)
The
Condom, the Cucumber and the Girl From Ipanema
A cute, funny, precocious sex comedy about four 20-somethings set to
embark on a first date. The piece covers everything from socks ’n’
underwear and first-date etiquette to contraception and using a cucumber
in the event of an emergency. The writing is fresh and fast paced. Excellent
use of home-made props, good timing and chemistry make this show a delight.
Includes a little unexpected nudity. Venue 6, Club Espagnol. (Amy German)
The
Baron in B Flat
This surreal one-man show works as a kind of tourism ad for a small,
fictional country called Esterflusia. The play starts with silent ’30s-esque
clown antics and progresses into nonsensical dialogue, proverbs, song
and demonstrations of Esterflusia’s culture and customs. The Baron
is charming, engaging and cute, though in a very tragic sense. Entertaining
though unusual. Venue 7, Portuguese Association. (Amy German)
Ricardo
Jamon: MasterMentalist
Mexican mesmerist Jamon’s credentials are as dubious as his accent-an
opinion bolstered by my selection as a volunteer being mysteriously
revoked before the whammy activation began in earnest. That said, if
Jamon’s subjects were in fact a parade of plants, they did a fairly
convincing job. “Uno, dos, tres” and they’re off,
making infantile, orgasmic jackasses of themselves. The whole thing
eventually falls apart as Jamon (a hybrid of Reveen and Dr. Nick) starts
nipping at his hip flask and his lovely assistant flips out, but the
funny factor’s so high that it’s hard to get annoyed. Venue
7, the Portuguese Association on St-Urbain. (Rupert Bottenberg)
GetAway
Most of this year’s fringe productions shy away from being overly
serious, and GetAway should have followed suit. This exaggerated production
bites off a few more heart-wrenching topics than it can handle, and
a technically well-written script is mired in unrealistic tragedy. Two
sisters are locked in a cabin together for an evening and have to deal
with a miscarriage, an abusive husband, a drunkard daddy, physically
and sexually-abusive upbringings and a murder-a tad more than can be
given justice through an hour of dialogue. The well-developed, only
slightly “over-theatrically” acted sisters could have easily
and competently filled the allotted time by simply exploring the differences
between them. Unfortunately though, melodrama takes centre stage. Venue
3, Geordie. (Claire Philipson)
The
Party
It’s hard to concentrate on the play at hand when the Man with
the Most Annoying Laugh in the World happens to be in the audience.
Despite the grating high-pitch giggle punctuating every gag, there were
laughs to be had here. But the trio of (highly talented) actors seemed
a little trapped in this play with a good premise that, in the end,
kind of goes in circles and then… nowhere. Three guys arrive at
the party, but is there even a party, and if so, what kind of a party
is it? They ask themselves (over and over again) and never do find out.
We never find out anything about these guys either, except that one
is kind of tough, the other a bit of a diplomat, and the third a pathetic
weakling (the most textured, entertaining character of the bunch). The
work of a promising playwright destined to evolve, this one just needs
more polish. Venue 7, (Genevieve Paiement)
Showdown
Finally, an all-female production that doesn’t dwell on the many
vicissitudes of womanhood, but just kicks ass by virtue of sheer talent
and style. The Solid State girls have choreographed a tight and impressive
breakdance routine that compliments their energy and personality and
is as technically strong as it is stylish. Their half-hour show is packed
with impressive freezes, a whole lot of strength and funky dancing with
a dash of kitsch. Get your tickets early, this production is bound to
sell out quickly. Venue 1, (Claire Philipson)
My
Wellness Buddy Gave Me Pinkeye
Ron Scott’s one-man play is a commentary on families, told from
the perspectives of five different characters, all juxtaposed against
fitting excerpts from “so bad it’s good” TV movies.
Laden with themes of alcoholism, abuse, adultery and philandering, all
tied together in a Todd Solondz-esque fashion, Scott’s take on
the family is clear but his characters are one-dimensional, and at times
it’s hard to decipher who’s speaking or even why. Ron Scott
is a budding talent not quite yet in bloom. Venue 4, the old fire station
on St-Dominique. (Amy German)
Be
a Man
While celebrations and tirades about womanhood are a dime-a-dozen these
days, it isn’t so often that the plight of the “everyguy”
is explored. In Be a Man, the many shades of masculinity are investigated
through the singing, rapping and character sketches of four average
dudes. Their witty antics reveal that inside the wifebeater-wearing,
penis-propelled “guy” actually dwells a multi-faceted, psychological
being. Your basic sex, sports and mechanics manliness is intertwined
with the arguably more interesting topics of abortion, globalization,
advertising, STDs, vasectomies and homosexuality. The energy and honesty
in this show makes it worth a watch. If for nothing else, go for their
painfully real and disturbing rendition of training day at any stock
service-industry job. Venue 3, Geordie. (Claire Philipson) :
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