The Buzz – Reviews

Four Hearts

The Improv Company—Théâtre Cercle Molière

Before this long form improvised play begins, the players gossip with the crowd to collect annoying relationship quirks that become secret character traits on which the show is built. It’s a clever setup, and there’s particular fun in watching a scene unfold when you know something about a character that the other performers don’t.

The players build tension and comedy with confidence, making smart use of entrances and exits to give different sets of characters a chance to have more private conversations to inform the action. As the secrets gradually surface, the improvised story feels surprisingly cohesive.

No two performances will be the same, thanks to the revolving cast and audience suggestions, but the quality of the performers I saw suggests that they will be able to capably build upon whatever the audience throws at them for every showing.

Ashley Frantik

Solovela, An Improvised Solo Telenovela

Diane Jorge—Planetarium Auditorium

Esta tarde, el programa se titula “¡Tiburones del amor!”. La señora Jorge empieza a buscar a alguien que le sirva de inspiración para una telenovela… y ahí continúa la diversión.

Today’s show is called “Sharks of Love!” Diane Jorge begins by searching for a “volunteer” whose life will be used as the inspiration for the development of a telenovela—and fun ensues!

Fear not! Those who have phobias of appearing before audiences, Jorge clearly lets people off who have no desire to be centres of attention. And if you’re a ham like me wearing fluorescent yellow Versace sunglasses with a matching fluorescent yellow shirt, you attract a lot of attention, but I don’t get picked either. She ends up with a couple who were a tad shy but were great sports.

With a light probe of their lives, she weaves a solovela (solo-telenovela) with a ludicrous plotline and hilarious, satirical characters. As with any soap opera, it ends on a cliffhanger, keeping you wondering what happens next.

Ray Yuen

The Shelter

Dark Horse Theatre—School of Contemporary Dancers

Everyone has a story, as The Shelter takes pains to reiterate. Sometimes those stories are a bit two dimensional and idealistic, but even so, the message of empathy towards the unhoused and the direct financial support the company is helping provide by putting on this production helps make up for that.

The primary focus is the conversation between Joyce, lost downtown after a horrible first and last day at a new job, and Paul, a self described student of human nature residing in the bus shelter Joyce is waiting in. Around them are a cast of characters with not a lot of screen time or defining characteristic outside of “asshole”, “addict” or “grump”, but they don’t steal too much of the focus away from that core duo. While Paul himself might be a bit too squeaky clean and pure hearted despite his rough appearance and conditions, his performance definitely makes the show.

If the idea of seeing a show also representing an automatic donation to Main Street Project sounds appealing, this is definitely a great one to check out

Josh Fidelak

Black Fish

Sima Sheibani—Théâtre Cercle Molière

This surrealist epic features a modern day Scheherazade, spinning tales to survive what should be a routine customs and immigration entry screening. From there familiar stories of migrant struggles melt into deeper, secret realities hidden beneath the surface.

Sober and uncomfortable advice from those who have immigrated before bleed into traditional trials and ancient wisdom, including quotations from Persian texts that lend a spiritual quality to the piece. Just when the narrative seems to settle, the play delivers a zinger of a structural turn that re-contextualizes everything that came before.

In a festival that skews heavily comedic, Black Fish is a refreshing departure and easily one of the Fringe’s standout dramatic offerings.

Ashley Frantik

Letters

Parachuting Camel Productions—Tom Hendry Warehouse

F*ck war.

Seriously, effing warmongers need to see shows like this and feel what these characters feel. If all you do is sit in your golden chair, behind your white walls, ordering people to die in the name of national security, you need to be out there experiencing what the people you sentence to war experience.

Right from the first scene, you tumble through this emotional cliff-dive. If you’re not a fan of having your heart ripped out of your torso, this is not for you. Two people left after ten minutes because the tension already started to build, and you knew this wouldn’t be a feel-good show. It’s not for everyone, but if you like a good heart-jerker, don’t miss it.

Ray Yuen

Dirk Darrow: Magic of Future Past

Tim Motley—Royal Albert Arms

Oh Tim- you made me and Melanie so happy to see you finally replaced those orthopaedic looking disasters with some sharp looking footwear! Thank you! Are you in love? You look fabulous! Trim and sharp and younger.

You are a fabulous magician. You never fail to amaze the crowd. I would recommend watching this. But as someone who has seen Every Single One of your Winnipeg shows and reviewed them, may I beg you to bring back your Dirk Darrow character with the riveting, bloody and hilarious film noir detective stories? They were absolutely brilliant! I remember every one. More please!

Lisa Campbell

Alexander Mantia’s Zucchini Club

Alexander Mantia Puppetry—Théâtre Cercle Molière

If you’ve ever wished your favourite after-school puppet program had grown up with you, Alexander Mantia’s Zucchini Club will make that dream a reality. Mantia populates the stage with a delightfully oversized cast of beautifully crafted characters, each bursting with personality despite being hand-puppets, including silly but varied voices for each from the sole performer and puppeteer.

The show is grown-up but not ‘adult’ in that sense; all ages will appreciate the Rodney Dangerfield-esque squirrel puppet, although the adults in the crowd will have an added layer to giggle about. If the kids are old enough for a ‘son of a bitch’ joke dropped by an avant-garde dog, you can probably bring them along.

Nostalgic Gens XYZ will probably get the most mileage from the show as they get transported back to the magic of childhood television, only funnier. That said, anyone with an appreciation for wit and whimsy will get a kick out of this top-notch act.

Ashley Frantik

Flunked

Ashley Evans—PTE – Colin Jackson Studio Theatre

Coming to Winnipeg to premiere her first Fringe show is Ashley Evans, who brings her piano along for this great story of her personal journey. From growing up in a family with an academic Dad, where a B is not good enough, to all the ups and downs of trying to figure out and attain her goals, despite setbacks and embarrassment, it was an interesting and well told story. The piano accompaniment helps set the mood for the various parts of the story and was played wonderfully.

She is an engaging performer and I will keep an eye out in the future in case there is a return visit for a sequel on how she got involved in Orlando’s SAK Comedy Lab.

Murray Hunter

Story Story Lie

Tits Up Productions—PTE – Colin Jackson Studio Theatre

The description in the program says it all, and that’s exactly what you get.

Today’s guest speakers include Jon Bennett (AMERICAN’T), Diane Jorge (Solovela, An Improvised Solo Telenovela) and Martin Dockery (The Review and Forbidden City!). The amusing stories keep you wondering which one of them is making all this shit up, and which of the other two ridiculous stories genuinely occurred.

In Bennett’s story, some of those oddities occurred to me in my childhood, so it’s likely to be true. Then the second half of the story came and it sounded too ludicrous to be plausible. He fooled the audience.

Both Jorge and Dockery’s stories had events that could have happened to me. So yes, like the rest of the audience, I failed too.

There were some technical glitches but hopefully they can find a workable solution before the next show.

Ray Yuen

The Game of Bluff

Susan Jeremy Productions—West End Cultural Centre-Ventura Hall

Having seen and loved Susan’s previous two shows at our Fringe; I wasn’t going to miss this one! She’s a joy to watch; with an honest and forthright style. I Loved this show! What made it even more delicious was learning; in chatting with her after the show, that every word was true! She said “That was my life, everyday.”

Audiences should not be shy about engaging with performers after the show. They enjoy talking about their work; you learn things and it adds a depth and personal touch you would otherwise leave without. Everyone benefits. She brought this wonderful work to us all the way from Brooklyn, so do yourself a favour and take this sweet show in!

Lisa Campbell