The Buzz – Reviews

Papa Ubu

Theatre Incarnate—Théâtre Cercle Molière

Unless you’re ancient like me, you probably never saw the Clint Eastwood classic The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, but you hear the reference all the time, and it’s appropriate here.

First, the good: they went through their roles with practiced precision, despite it being opening day. The polish shows they’re very good actors.

Now for the bad: I missed my chance. This is a licensed venue and I should have brought a drink in, perhaps a double. Maybe some dope—that might have helped me get more (or something) out of this show.

Finally, the ugly: What did I just watch? No, please, someone tell me—what did I just watch? There were some Olde English, Shakespearean kinds of motifs, some absurdity, some surrealism, some intentional overacting, and some I-don’t-know-what. All assembled, what was it? Why was the goldfish’s part so crucial that it was included in the write-up? I really don’t get it and I don’t think I’m the only one in the audience leaving with a blank expression and swirls for eyeballs.

Ray Yuen

100% UnTrueBadour!

Paul Strickland Presents—RRC Polytech

A collector of stories is what Paul Strickland calls himself, and this collection of songs and stories are another fine bunch of them. Even those who are familiar with his performances still get thrown for a bit a loop sometimes, as his stories and songs often take an unexpected turn. He is also very good at slightly changing a common saying or idiom into something a little absurd, which also delights the crowd.

This year he is joined in the vocals on some of the songs by a ‘surprise guest’ (played by Erika MacDonald) which adds just a little extra to the show. As is often the case, all the stories and songs end up tied together in a neat bundle.

Be sure to get your tickets early as the first show on Thursday afternoon was sold out.

Murray Hunter

No Tweed Too Tight: Another Grant Canyon Mystery

RibbitRePublic Theatre—The King’s Head Pub

Great fun! This was exactly what I expected. A hilarious romp starring the very affable and talented Ryan Gladstone who really gets a workout playing Canyon. Taking all those beatings and electric shocks to the balls takes a lot out of a guy.

What really amused me were the increasingly gruesome and always unbelievable situations our hapless, severely alcoholic detective wakes up to from his blackouts. Who opens their bleary eyes to find themselves between the mattress and the box spring? Only our soused hero Grant! This script took a lot of imagination, is extremely fast paced and full of absolutely nonsensical metaphors and craziness.

This isn’t serious theatre and doesn’t purport to be. This is an opportunity to get out and relax and laugh and laugh some more.

Lisa Campbell

The Redemption of Heracles

Chronically Ch(ill) Productions—Planetarium

Every year I see Chronically Ch(ill) productions in the Fringe is a good year.

Hailley Rhoda plays Hera and Megara (with a small bit of pantomime as Heracles with a Ken doll), retelling the labours of Heracles, from slandered and ignored feminine perspective that Hailley is so adept at excavating. The puppets and props that help frame the show are cute, but the core of the show is definitely Hailley’s monologues, powered by a deep rage at the violence women face in the home and the lengths men in the community go to in order to ignore it. Always a highlight, and absolutely worth a watch.

Josh Fidelak

SHIT: The Musical

Misty Mountain Music—Théâtre Cercle Molière

You have a musical with a ludicrous plot, a dysfunctional setting and a curmudgeonly character—what could possibly go wrong? If all goes well, nothing with results boasting fun, whacky antics and jokes—but something does go wrong.

Donnie Baxter’s voice isn’t strong enough to penetrate the hall, so those of us near the back have a very hard time hearing. The auditorium’s ambient musical accompaniment gives an adequate volume but it drowns out Baxter’s voice…

…and this turns out to be a blessing! The content is funny and the lyrics are great, BUT, Baxter can’t sing! I’ve sung a lot of karaoke in my life and almost everyone I’ve sang with, or listened to, sounds better than Baxter, and that’s after four hours of hard liquor in the bars!

Seriously, the voice doesn’t just lilt off-key, it seems to waffle independently of the music. As a musical, the singing forms an integral part of the show, and it needs to hold the show. Other than this major flaw, the experience would have been quite good. My suggestion to Baxter is to hire an actual singer—do the “presentation” yourself and have someone else sing the songs.

Ray Yuen

red dirt / red storm

Second Star on the Right—WECC- Ventura Hall

This alt-history/near-future speculative drama, reminiscent of Apple TV’s For All Mankind, benefits from strong pacing and a rich atmosphere, aided by evocative lighting and audio clips that lend the piece a textured, immersive tone. Yet however intriguing the vague references to the titular red dirt/red storm, overall the show withholds too much context.

While withholding details can provoke curiosity, here it feels more confusing than compelling. The obscurity of what’s truly at stake for the characters weakens the emotional weight of their climactic revelations.

The story’s alternating timelines between the past and a future of Mars’ human colonization can be tricky to navigate, as the performers do little to differentiate the characters’ present and future selves. Rapid-fire, low-volume dialogue further complicates things, witty or poignant though it may be, much of it is difficult to catch or absorb.

Both actors deliver emotionally resonant performances, and there are moments of genuine connection that hint at a deeper theme about legacy and aspiration, but the show buries its big ideas too deep. The audience is left grasping for meaning in a world we haven’t been fully invited into, and the logistics of what exactly the characters are trying to achieve.

With clearer exposition and more distinct temporal markers, this piece could become the kind of moving, genre-blending sci-fi theatre unique to the festival. As it stands, the piece sparks interest but doesn’t quite deliver on its potential.

Ashley Frantik

Divorce Club

TBA Productions—John Hirsch Mainstage

This poor cast was done a grave disservice by being given the main stage. The cavernous theatre swallowed them up, making them very difficult to hear at times. Apart from that, if you’re a fan of bitter and jaded characters being confronted by their biases and double-standards, and/or if you like the level of off-the-wall twists that Liz Farler is known for by this point, definitely check it out. Just choose your seating very carefully so that you can catch all the dialogue.

Jordan Phillips

BugJuice: A Beetlejuice Parody

Meraki Theatre—CCFM – Antoine Gaborieau Hall

The write-up says the show is a parody, but I wonder if it creeps closer to a spoof. Either way, it helps you considerably if you know the original movie Beetlejuice. It mostly makes sense even if you know nothing about the movie, but film familiarity gives it a lot more context.

The lead character, BugJuice, nails Michael Keaton’s voice and many of his mannerisms, and the feature ghosts look like they could be younger versions of Geena Davis and Alec Baldwin. As for the other characters? Let’s just say that they didn’t try to imitate the originals.

Why did I say that it feels more like a spoof at the beginning? From the opening number, the song vocals—errrr—I’ll be kind and say that they weren’t great. There were snippets where I could tell the actors CAN sing, but did they choose to sing off to spoof the movie? It wasn’t just one person; most of the singers would leave the Idol judges cringing.

Curiously, they mentioned several times that they only have 45 minutes to run this show.

Warning: the show runs a bit long. After the schlepping of the merch, the clocked ticked in at 53 minutes total running time.

Because of time limitations, they skipped key parts from the movie. Then why not make it a longer show? You ran over anyway!

There were some fun and some giggly moments. A lot of bodies stood to applaud after the run but I suspect there were a lot of friends and family, including a very rude family member beside who shot video with her phone, WITH THE FLASH ON. Just don’t.

Ray Yuen

Houdini: The Man, The Myth, The Legend

Oddly Entertainment—CCFM Salle Pauline-Boutal

This Fringe, Brett Oddly sets aside his edgy leather shock-stunt image for a besuited interpretation of an early 20th century Harry Houdini. The show features a more theatrical framing narrative than Oddly’s usual act, which dives into the mythos of the iconic magician, and presents illusions and escapes inspired by his North American vaudeville circuit that once brought Houdini through Winnipeg more than a century ago. Aiding that atmosphere is a clever use of historical audio including recordings and an old-timey soundtrack that adds period charm and theatrical texture.

This shift in tone is a notable departure for Oddly, and the ambition behind it is admirable. Providing historical context, he attempts to wrap his feats in storytelling rather than present the standard trick-after-trick format so common in festival magic shows.

Unfortunately, that framing device fades over the course of the performance, feeling largely abandoned by the end. Typically a confident and seasoned performer, Oddly seemed somewhat uneasy picking up the baton of Houdini. The pacing lagged in places, and transitions between storytelling and magic tricks didn’t always land cleanly. Whether it was opening night jitters or the daunting task of inhabiting such an iconic figure, the portrayal lacked the conviction of his usual onstage self. Given his extensive experience and accolades, it’s unlikely that nerves alone were the culprit; more likely, it’s the challenge of reconciling his own voice with Houdini’s legacy.

With more confidence in the theatrical structure, and a bolder embrace of integrating the character with his own, Oddly could shape this performance into something that honours Houdini not just through his tricks, but through the charisma and stagecraft that made him a legend.

Ashley Frantik

Inescapable

Concrete Drops Theater—PTE – Colin Jackson Studio

Leaving this show I told someone that it was great, the response to which was “Utterly unsurprising”. If you like the work of Martin Dockery, you know why she said that, and if not, this is a great starting point to learn.

To avoid going too deeply into the story, this is a sparse and fantastic two hander starring Martin and Jonathon Paterson⁣. The dialog recurs upon itself, dense with reference and repetition, and almost meditative patter. The words repeat themselves but the emotions escalate, mannerisms heighten and personal tragedies slowly unfurl.

Josh Fidelak