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The Buzz – Reviews
The El Diablo of the Cards 2.0
Ewerton Martins—Son of Warehouse
Ewerton Martins’ joy in performing is infectious as hell, so his moniker ‘El Diablo of the Cards’ makes perfect sense. A great family show, Martins boldly performs with a number of audience members on stage, testing the limits of sleight of hand that often depends on the correct viewing angle. Even when you know the trick depends on technique rather than supernatural powers, it’s hard not to be impressed by his precision.
The routines themselves aren’t especially innovative, but that’s hardly the point. Martins’ enthusiasm is contagious, making even familiar illusions feel fresh through the sheer pleasure he takes in sharing them.
If you’re looking for an entertaining family-friendly Fringe outing, El Diablo of the Cards 2.0 is an easy recommendation.
Ashley Frantik
Onwards!
Big Empty Barn Productions—The Output @ Video Pool
Longtime Fringe performer Bremner Fletcher brings a new show of original songs and monologues. He explores a number of topics including his 25 year history with the Fringe and performing, modern tech culture, happiness, and how to enjoy life. Those familiar with his dulcet baritone voice, may have at one time said that “he could sing the phone book and I would listen”. He puts the idea of that premise to the test in one of the songs, and somehow manages to pull it off. Overall a great performance, with some interesting stories and a couple rants pulled together by some great (and sometimes surprising) songs.
Murray Hunter
How Much Can You Change for Someone You Love?
Randy Ross—Asper Centre for Theatre and Film-U of W
Randy Ross from Boston owns his stage. He’s polished, entertaining to listen to and his play moves along nicely.
But… I don’t feel he did what he promised to do in the program. He didn’t deal with changing for the one you love in any depth and that’s the darn title! With the modern, online dating scene being what it is ( believe me-I know!); there’s a goldmine of hilarity to be plumbed. Like when I was sent two guys at the same time who had actual cartilage horn implants, full face tats and enough piercings to immolate a metal detector. Randy’s comment on online dating “They didn’t message back”. Hardly hilarious.
This play should be laugh out loud funny, deeply moving or both. It was neither. This work needs more meat on the bones and I know he’s capable of it. Reading reviews of his previous plays made me wish I had seen them.
Which just justifies my feeling that he’s so capable of much more.
Lisa Campbell
Dangerous Curves
American Vaudeville Company—Shannon’s Irish Pub
Do you have money, friends Who You Think Deserve It and the desire for a higher blood alcohol content than you currently possess? Dangerous Curves presents a golden opportunity to combine all these into an evening of debauchery and torment (hopefully for others). Anyone choosing to donate/bribe the performers gets the right to chose the next victim, subjected to various challenges and insults following the whims of the crowd.
An improv show based around audience participation is always a tall order, and the Kansas City based American Vaudeville Company pull it off with skill and aplomb. You can only do so much with what you’re given, and at 5pm on a Wednesday (a work night-for most people, and too early to drink-for most people) the raunchiness gets harder to encourage. Despite the environment, the talent of the performers clearly showed through. Given the rest of the run happens later in the evening at 6:30 rather than 5, you definitely have great odds for a good crowd and a great performance.
Josh Fidelak
House of Gold: The Musical
Brighter Dark Theatre—MTYP – Mainstage
Brighter Dark Theatre returns to the Fringe with House of Gold: The Musical, adapting their 2024 comedy into a musical production. It’s a natural evolution for a show built on exaggerated personalities, rapid-fire jokes, and gleefully dysfunctional family dynamics. The production retains the original’s outlandish ensemble while giving fans of the previous version something new to enjoy. If the original already flirted with absurdity, adding musical numbers is simply the logical progression.
The songs amplify the show’s already heightened world, and by the end it’s difficult to imagine the story without them.
As is often the case with Fringe musicals, the sound mix struggled to keep the vocals above the accompaniment on opening night, leaving many of the lyrics difficult to make out; an unfortunate drawback in a production where clever writing is one of its greatest strengths. While the score includes several enjoyable numbers, none quite emerge as the kind of unforgettable showstopper that would elevate the production beyond its already solid foundation.
Those who loved the original production will find plenty to enjoy in its musical iteration, while newcomers have another opportunity to discover one of Winnipeg Fringe’s most ridiculous families an octave above what they might have seen in 2024.
Ashley Frantik
Randy and Elizabeth: A Savage Love Story
Macho Manitoban—Planetarium Auditorium
Geoff Hughes brings his hit Fringe show from last year back for a return matchup. Performing as his spectacular alter ego “The Macho Manitoban” he gives an excellent history lesson of when the popularity of wrestling exploded with the rise of the WWF and its WrestleMania pay-per-views. This popularity was due to stars such as Randy “Macho Man” Savage and his true love Miss Elizabeth, whose story provides the basis for the show.
Worked into the wrestling history is his own story of how he became such a fan, his own stories of wrestling fandom, and how that has influenced his life.
His passionate portrayal of the key matches and the behind the scenes of the world of wrestling really grabs the crowd. There are some touching life lessons in here as well, so even if you are not a huge wrestling fan it is a great wild ride to experience.
Murray Hunter
Elon Muskrat
Indigenized Indigenous Theatre—Asper Centre for Theatre and Film-U of W
Wow! I love something different and this new work by Indigenous actor/playwright Josh Languedoc of Edmonton was a fabulous way to kick off this Fringe!
We are greeted by a blustering huckster who claims to be the world’s first Indigenous trillionaire. And does he have a deal for you! Yes, you! I loved and laughed at his imaginative description of the Native themed casino he wants us to invest in.
Interwoven with his sales pitch is the nature based story of Amik, a beaver who believes it is his purpose to enrich the lives of his animal friends with his renowned damming skills. Life is peaceful until Amik encounters a group of strange red eyed creatures. They need him to build for them and make a deal with money. What is this stuff? Why does he suddenly feel mad and sad?
Back to the casino deal. As he sells this dream, we begin to feel this may not be the deal we thought it was; paralleling Amik’s new awareness.
A play that makes you laugh and think, while being thoroughly enjoyable is a rare thing. What is the price of your peace of mind?
I definitely recommend you see this now; as due to a directing commitment, Josh is only here until Sunday. There’s a lot of talent at this comfortable venue, you can be assured of a seat and Impark abuts the building. Stay, relax and make a day of it at Venue 10.
Lisa Campbell
