The Buzz – Reviews – 2017

Speech & Debate

The Three Beggars—Rachel Browne Theatre

A lot can be found when you go digging through secrets. What is found and the aftermath is what this play focuses on. Three misfits rejected by the town find only through coming together can they find love, acceptance, and most importantly the truth. I would consider this play a dramedy. While there are moments of light, the play deals with a lot of sadness and isolation. The story had some genuinely funny bits and I love the opening texting sequence. I also loved the gag of three misfits awkwardly dancing. The characters and well written and very well cast. While the story had a lot of potential I found that the play dragged along. I felt every second of that hour and a half and felt the pace and energy could have been upped in spots. There were also many transitions where instead of waiting for the lights to fully go out, the characters would change and move set while the lights were still up. That took me out of the story and had me asking why. Not the worst show of the Fringe but not the greatest. 

Kaitlyn Kriss

Peter vs. Chris

Peter n Chris—John Hirsch Mainstage

After beginning this show with a cinematic-like introduction featuring strongly accented music, lights that flash on and off, and the two approaching each other at center stage repeatedly, popular fringe duo Peter and Chris begin their show proper rather casually. They argue about whether they have been performing together for 8 or 10 years, talk about how their creative process, and remind the audience that there are no refunds. Furthermore, they joke that this new show was prepared last weekend, unlike previous shows that required six months of work, and they invite questions from the audience.

Soon this devolves into an argument between the two as to why Peter appears before Chris in their company name, and a competition to see who is best, with scores kept on a whiteboard. They try to one-up each other with increasingly crazy antics, which sometimes include dancing or skits. Eventually they have a big fight and Chris exits, leaving Peter to draft an audience member as a replacement. A reconciliation soon follows, as expected, with them rediscovering that they need one other.

Peter and Chris joke at one point that all their shows from year to year are the same, and I say I would agree, to a degree, especially with their arc of competing with one another, having conflict, breaking up, and then making up. Their earlier joke about this show being created last weekend feels like it might not be too far from the truth as well. They are still funny but their sketches are not as sharp or deep as I remember them being in previous shows.

Konrad Antony

Figgy Pudding

Jimmy Hogg—School of Contemporary Dancers

Jimmy reminds me of a more verbal Rowan Atkinson, with his expressive facial and body movements. This play explores life growing up in the Hogg family; and especially their Christmas traditions. Thus the title, with figgy pudding being a British holiday standard. He makes fun of his family; his poor parents in particular. I felt like a guest at the family’s holiday. He performs the entire play barefoot in his pajamas; a good choice to foster intimacy. It was a very enjoyable romp and I would recommend you join him.

Lisa Campbell

I, Love.

Leela Productions—Asper Centre (U of W)

The programme description tells you nothing about this show—with discredit to the troupe, the write-up actually turned me away from seeing this. Waiting in line, one of the actors passed a promo and told me basically that it is sacrilegious, which is what brought me here.

And I’m glad it did.

We follow the young life of Jordan from the moment of conception to enlightenment and the standard life moulders along the way. The journey itself is extraordinary but the bonus of good dancing, sometimes good/sometime bad singing, and downright great entertainment contribute to making this an overall fun time.

If you’re sensitive about this sort of thing (then you probably aren’t a real Fringer), be forewarned that there is ample nudity contained within.

By all means, go see this show—it’s a good adventure.

Ray Yuen

Good Game in GUNG HO!

Good Game—Rachel Browne Theatre

Absurd sketches await you at Good Game Comedy’s new show! All of the sketches were insane in one way or another. I never saw the endings coming because they were like nothing I’ve seen before. The show was unpredictable but that’s what I found I liked the best. The Fringe needs ‘New’ and if this is where we are headed I definitely don’t mind it. Even the transitions between sketches turned into sketches their own. They even played some original Friends which had me crying with laughter! If you want comedy that’s super different this might be the show for you. These three adorable besties will give you a good chuckle. Check em out!

Kaitlyn Kriss

The CANADA SHOW: The Complete History of Canada in One Hour

Monster Theatre—John Hirsch Mainstage

A chest painted with the Canadian flag is at center stage, a man stands on it strumming a guitar, and two women flank him, all of them singing a fantasy song about how great Canada could be. At one point they sing about the dollar being worth ninety-nine point nine nine nine nine cents US, which leads into the coda from Hey Jude (“… na na na na-na-na na…”). Thus begins the Canada Show, which promises “twenty thousand years of history in one hour.”

They talk or sing about the great European discoverers of this land, include Cabot, which leads to a “Who’s on First?” routine featuring Cabot and Costello, and do a sketch about Jacques Cartier involving the puppets from Mr. Dressup. Along the way, the history and grievances of the indigenous peoples, the French, and the English, are represented by one performer each.

This trio skips briskly through history from the Battle of the Plains of Abraham to the War of 1812 to Confederation (and posit that it was a reaction to the recently completed American Civil War, a historical theory that is interesting to ponder), to Louis Riel and the Red River Rebellion, to women’s suffrage, and beyond. As they move through all this content, they use and discard a lot of different props, which eventually come to litter the entire spacious stage.

The three performers do a few very funny songs with great energy, including one listing great Canadian women (which includes a misunderstanding about whether Kim Mitchell is a man or a woman). Another song runs rapidly through all the Canadian Prime Ministers, from drunk Sir John A to “I am a robot” Harper, culminating in Trudeau II, who, according to this show, cares as much about the concerns of his populace as the early British governors, which is to say: not much at all.

Konrad Antony

Drunk Girl

TMI Productions—WECC – ACU Hall

This adventure is a lot of fun. Fitz-James is a excellent storyteller and an engaging presenter with a versatile command of characters. She delivers smoothly and flawlessly, taking the audience in easily.

Her content is amusing and witty but I hoped for a bit more substance. I’ve been a feminist for a long time, a full decade before Justin Trudeau made it cool for a man to be a feminist. I’m very familiar with the feminist issues contained within and I wish there was some more development.

Fitz-James covers a lot of issues in this hour, including a score of feminist topics, many alcoholism topics, generational and socio-political topics. There’s a touch of each topic but not a lot of exploration. I understand it’s not supposed to be a lecture or discourse but these are very important topics. I would like to see this broadened into an intro and have a series of focused discussions, zeroing in on each discrete topic.  Each could be a separate entry into the Fringe world.

Some of the jokes were funny but some were off the mark and just amusing. I would re-write a few of the jokes to bring them to gut-busting hilarity. I loved the wine gag. I knew my imagination wasn’t fooling with me after the first round. Unfortunately, the second round had my attention and what was said took a back seat.

All said, this is a good show and a fun way to spend an hour. It’s a hike to the West End Cultural Centre but it’s worth it. They sell liquor at this venue. You should ask if they have Ice.

Ray Yuen

Ain’t True & Uncle False

Paul Strickland Presents—School of Contemporary Dancers

Paul has become a Winnipeg favorite. As he walks among the crowds, you hears cries from patrons yelling out how much they loved his previous shows and how wonderful he is. And they are right. Both he, and his partner in life and theatre, Erika MacDonald (in the excellent Evacuated!), always bring quality work. Their shows should not be missed.

Patrons underestimate the effect an audience has on a show, and tonight’s late crowd was rather subdued. Each line has punch and his stories of life in the trailer park are ably accompanied by his clever guitar ditties. He needed more appreciation for the excellent work he was putting our way. I will never miss a chance to see him . I am looking forward to next year’s installment of the continuing saga of the carefully crafted characters that populate his mobile town, ‘Tales Too Tall for Trailers’. I can’t wait.

Lisa Campbell

Help! I’m American!

DK Reinemer—Son of Warehouse

One of the goofiest sketch comedy shows I’ve ever seen. This show was a lot of fun. Very bizarre and off the wall. The performer was charming and definitely wasn’t afraid to sacrifice himself for a laugh. If you don’t like audience participation I wouldn’t recommend it, he calls on several audience members to help out especially in the front row. I also wouldn’t recommend it if you are a devout Trump fan. One of his sketches ran a little long but in general they were short and to the point. Some of the transitions were very long and need to be worked on as well. Music may have helped this. A neat show if you have some time and want to laugh.

Kaitlyn Kriss

Eastport

Mindful Productions—School of Contemporary Dancers

This show, a local production with a script by Laurie Duncan, features one of the better looking sets I have seen at a Fringe production, showing the interior of a drawing room of a former New England bed and breakfast, including comfy chairs, a wall with many old photographs, and a grandfather clock. The story takes place several decades ago, but exactly when is a little vague. The hotel proprietor (Muriel Hogue), still grieving the loss of her husband Ned many years earlier, lives alone on this property. Out of the blue on a blustery winter evening a mysterious man named George (Harry Nelkin) shows up, dressed up like Colonel Sanders and wanting a room.

The two characters spend a lot of time sitting and talking (more movement would have been welcome), with George drinking copious amounts of gin. The proprietor can’t understand how George arrived at the hotel, with all means of transportation currently inaccessible. She tells him, “You don’t add up.” No matter what he says, he can’t explain his appearance and she becomes increasingly anxious, asking him to leave. But he doesn’t leave. He continues to talk, revealing more and more knowledge of her life with her late husband. Is he himself her ex-husband, somehow disguised or altered after all these years? That was my first thought, but the script never seems to veer in that direction. The conflict being acted out is interesting to watch. Unfortunately, even though there is eventually a revelation about who this man really is, it was not clear to me.

Konrad Antony