The WALK IN THE SNOW: the true story of Lise Meitner

big word performance—Creative Manitoba

Before you know it he’s off, in his abrupt style. If you’re good at processing information very quickly, then you’ll be able to appreciate this show significantly more than I did, because I am not a very fast thinker. Nevertheless, I learned more about science during this show than any of my high school science courses. Jem Rolls tells the story of Lise Meitner, an often overlooked physicist who was most prolific during the era of Nazi Germany. It can take a moment for you to understand that he portrays characters through his physicality, but it’s not completely necessary to understand this scientist’s tragic story. Engaging, powerful, memorable, and just like that he’s out again, in his abrupt style.

Arden Pruden

How I Murdered My Mother

Tomo Suru—The Cinematheque

Simple and effective, this show takes you on the journey of reliving the experience of living with, caring for, and burying your parents. The storyteller’s very noticeable emotion and pauses to regain composure lent a lot of impact to the show, but depending on the viewer could end detracting from the experience. Overall, a very well told tale of a very often ignored topic .

Josh Fidelak

Bamboo

Synergy Dance Production—John Hirsch Mainstage

The emcee, the opening intro and the set makes this feel like a Folklorama show, rather than a Fringe show, not that that’s bad. On the contrary, it’s good. They’re good; they’re very good. It just doesn’t have a Fringe feel sitting in the audience; it feels a bit out of place.

Similarly, the opening singing act seems a bit out of place. They have great voices; they just don’t fit with the rest of the show.

As for the rest of the show, it’s full of energy and fun. They’re exciting to watch and they’re loaded with talent. If you can’t have fun watching this show, you can’t have fun.

Ray Yuen

Jellyfish Are Immortal Returns

Peachy Keen Productions—The Rachel Browne Theatre

I only went to see this based on the buzz this team has had in the past, and fond memories of previous shows. If memory serves, their fans screamed down the house at last year’s Jenny’s. But there was no team, just the charming and funny Sydney Hayduk, solo. She was clear that Thea Fitz-James, who was listed in the program , was absent and had nothing to do with this show; and would be mad if she was associated with it. Says a lot. I’m guessing there is a story here that is not being shared, that might explain why this seemed so thrown together. Sydney started by stating her sexual orientation (who cares?) and her deep concern for the ecology (I care). This was more like a workshop than a show, and there were a lot of unimpressed patrons at this performance. Only one member, a friend, I believe, went up to her after. Not a good sign. I stand in line usually, to congratulate performers. A lot of dance movement, playing with props, cheery smiles, and a costume that would have benefited from a trip to a thrift store. A black crinoline (not tattered pink) and black tank would have actually made her look like the monarch butterfly she was trying to portray. I have seen her in the past and she is definitely capable of far more. As she says in the program “we have more work to do.“.

Lisa Campbell

(Art)ist

Hypothetical Projects—MTC Up the Alley

A washed up playwright grapples with not only the deeply rotten legacy of his decades old one hit wonder, but also the fictional characters the play birthed. Emotional and impactful the play grapples with the issue of creators culpability in idealization of domestic abuse, and all the real world harm that results.

Far more of a drama than a comedy, this show is excellently written, acted and directed. Due to the serious consideration of domestic abuse, this is not the show for someone upset by that topic. 5% of show proceeds are also being donated to the local Women’s Health Clinic.

Josh Fidelak

Bad Baby Presents: Rules Control the Fun

Lark and Whimsy Theatre Collective—Alto – Portage Place

I hate to write bad reviews. A lot of actors make a living out of doing this and it really pains me to write a downright bad review. On the other hand, I want viewers to get good value for their money. It’s a fine balance that I struggle to teeter.

If I must say negative things, I usually try to be constructive and give as many reasons why I don’t like a show and offer suggestions on how to improve. Somethings, I can’t.

Through the first 50 minutes of this show, I cringed in my seat thinking that I have nothing constructive to say about this show, and I have no suggestions. Well just one—toss the entire thing out and start
anew.

Then the last 10 minutes happened.

Yes, she said that she doesn’t want to be like every other one-person (one-woman) show, but what she did there was good, very good. Then we find out that the last 10 minutes could not have occurred without the first 50.

Well that’s a paradox.

Janelle, I guess then, all I can suggest is that I hope you can find a way to improve the first part of your show. I’m sorry but the humour wasn’t funny and the gimmicks weren’t entertaining. The last 10 minutes shows that you can be a superior actor. I hope to see more of that in the future.

Ray Yuen

SpinS

Janoah anygoodjokes?—Centennial Concert Hall – Rehearsal Hall

I wandered into this as a filler. You know I’ve been doing this for couple decades now, and every once in a while something takes you away and makes you forget you are at the Fringe. Janoah “anygoodjokes” Bailin is quite a capable, experimental, inventive juggler and has an act that keeps you to the edge of your seat, something I haven’t done for a long time! Now really, what you can watch from any average street performer, Janoah takes it to another level, all playfully with the audience and very, very alternative music. Add some abstract puppetry and amazing command of the unicycle…like he lives on this damn thing. Speaking of audience, he needs a lot to bounce off of, and there were only a few in our crowd, he deserves a lot more to play with! So do yourselves a favour, stop juggling your schedule, and let Janoah do the juggling, oh, he claims he’s not a magician…just a joker!

Kevin Campbell

35MM: A Musical Exhibition

Ethereal Fantazy Productions—John Hirsch Mainstage

Right off the bat, I don’t like this show. At the close, I introspect about what I would write and how harsh would I be? Being my last show of the evening, I intentionally meander and linger around, trying to catch comments from my fellow viewers.

Based on the outcome that I do not hear a single positive comment about the play, I will list all the reasons I don’t like it. This of course, does not count the numerous people who left early (a few as early as song #3).

At 90 minutes (although true running time is only 75 minutes), I expect a storyline, complete with conflict, denouement and resolution. This is just a presentation of songs, some somewhat related, some completely unrelated. To their credit, that’s all they promise in the program.

Musicals are fun to experience because they feature toe-tapping, catchy, contagious music. Some of the songs here are nice but most of them do not have good melody. Andrew Lloyd Webber, this is not.

From some of the comments I heard (overheard), the theme is just too dark. I love a good, dark, eerie story, but there needs to be some sort of resolution at the end; this just leaves you with a bad taste for humanity when you leave.

The sound person completely failed this troupe. Two of the actors’ mics were so low, you could not hear them sing most of the time—and if you miss the words here, you do not understand what’s going on. A third actor had a faulty mic which cut out intermittently. I would expect a spare to be around for such emergencies.

Finally, I am a semi-pro photographer. I very much looked forward to seeing the work displayed. I can’t say much from an artistic perspective, but from a technical perspective, the photos were quite a disappointment.

I’m sorry to say but there are a lot of great shows out there, and to spend time in one where I kept wishing it would be over is not the best use of time or money. Sitting in the audience, your primary thought after every song should not be, “please come to the front now, hold hands, and bow.”

Ray Yuen

Dana Smith: Lives at Wee Johnny’s

Christianson Co.—Comedy at Wee Johnny’s

Dana Smith is a sucker-punch of a woman, confident to the point of writing a bit about it, and refusing to keep any subject off limits. She presents the most crude and demanding girl and gay power message I’ve ever seen, but I’m not saying that as a bad thing. She’s funny, powerful, and not afraid to speak her mind. And if you don’t think that sounds good, it’s at a bar, and if you don’t want to spend anything, you might win a beer. I just think it’s a shame, her being a Cancer, seeing as I’m a Libra. I’m sure she’ll get that joke.

Arden Pruden

13 Dead Dreams of “Eugene”

Theatre Mobile—Tom Hendry Warehouse

Spooky, mysterious, dark, eerie.

Bonus: catchy tunes.

This is one of the best shadow puppet shows I’ve ever seen—if that’s your thing, this is your thing.

Ray Yuen