Chase Breyer: Part Time Substitute Teacher, Full Time Canadian Super Spy

SNAFU—PTE – Colin Jackson Studio

From the talented cast of this year’s War of 1812, comes Chase Breyer and his superb physical comedy. This guy is so lean and lithe, he can carry off wearing 4 suits of clothing without a hint of a bulge. The title is deliberately misleading. His being a substitute teacher has nothing at all to do with the story, and he is a spy, but definitely not a super one.

You come to this to watch and relax, be well amused and laugh. There isn’t really much of a plot, but you don’t need one. You can just sit back, giggle at his amazing agility, silly yet amusing script and chuckle at his clever use of the overhead projector and political digs. If you’ve been seeing a lot of serious shows, this is just the ticket to get some comic relief (and watch him guzzle a lot of Sleemans). This guy definitely rules his stage and you won’t regret the hour well spent with him.

Lisa Campbell

Hot Dogs at the Eiffel Tower

Gallant and Bold—Rio – Portage Place

Come along with British ex-pat, the charming Maggie Gallant from Austin, Texas, as she shares the strange, yet character building quirkiness of her childhood with rather unusual, to say the least, parenting. A hint of what’s to come occurs when asked what time she was born, her mum responds ”How should I know? I wasn’t there.”. That leads to some sleuthing on the part of young Maggie, who discovers- her parents are not her biological parents!

This leads to an intriguing tale, as due to the stigma of adoption in those days, little was revealed about birth parents. At the time, prevailing thought was this was best. So Maggie develops the parents of her imagination, especially her most certainly romantic and dashing French Papa.

But this is not to be, and we share in the joys and disappointments, as the truth is slowly revealed. A most entertaining, humorous and enjoyable ride; and you even get free bonbons!

Lisa Campbell

Quirky

Son of Kimmy Zee—Platform Centre

This outstanding one-man show (sold out tonight) is deliriously brilliant, side-splittingly funny, engaging, well written, and utterly captivating. [My ribs are still aching from laughing so hard]. Making his Fringe debut and holding his audience with ease, Zeglinski delivers a solid comic (yet well-balanced, tenderly tragic) performance – tonight, to an enthusiastic full house. Devouring his compassionate tackling of the struggles and hysterically awkward maturation moments that arise, and have arisen, from Zeglinski’s young lived experiences with Asperger’s, he very much earned his audience’s standing ovation.

Raven Heck

Moonlight After Midnight

Concrete Drops Theatre—John Hirsch Mainstage

A wonderful opportunity to see Fringe fave and veteran performer Martin Dockery perform with his lovely wife, Vanessa Quesnelle; instead of his usual solo acts. This is her first performance after the birth of their baby last year. That life changing experience was the topic of Martin’s wonderful show last Fringe, Wide Eyed.

This creepy story develops slowly, twisting and turning, changing eerily into something other than what it seemed to be at the onset. As the drama develops, the intensity increases, bringing us all into the mystery and heartbreak of this doomed romance. Will this be the end for these lovers, or will there be other midnights? This is a treat for true theatre buffs and has been performed and appreciated around the world.

Lisa Campbell

The Comedy Illusions of Greg Wood

Comedy Illusions of Greg Wood—Son of Warehouse

My spouse and I went to the performance earlier today. We found Greg’s performance to be very entertaining and family friendly. Greg has a masterful way of weaving very humorous and entertaining stories into his magic and illusions. It was so nice to see that it is family friendly which means we could take our 12 year old grandson to the performance. So nice to see a local entertainer who works so smoothly with the audience and his performance. I would recommend this Fringe show to anyone.

Lloyd Gwilliam

Commando: The Radio Play

Ditch Water Theatre—Centennial Concert Hall – Rehearsal Hall

My hidden gem of this year! I’m still smiling days later and can’t stop recommending this to everyone I meet! I might even go see it again because I deserve it. The program description doesn’t do it justice; or give you a clue as to just how special this is.

This play written by the genius Cory Falvo, is a showcase for the art of Foley. For those who are not familiar with the term, it is the art of making sound effects without digital aid. And Cory is an artiste! What they do with their arsenal of veggies, fruits, tin sheets and all manner of articles is pure ingenuity; not to mention the cleverest and most comical act I’ve seen ever, not just this year.

The room is filled with such a rare shared spirit of pure joy at witnessing such fun. It’s magical. What impressed me the most was the obvious enjoyment the performers got from what they were doing. They were feeding off the blast the audience was having and bouncing it back at us. This radio play had 3 actors, borrowing bits from Arnold Schwarzenegger’s ‘Commando‘ movie. The various accents were spot on, the timing perfect, as they zipped from multiple characters with lightning speed. They even inserted hilarious commercials, with a guest star from another show. Cory’s serious expression with furrowed brow turned into sheer merriment, as they played off tiny mistakes in timing and turned them into triumphs, demonstrated just how perfectly they have mastered the Foley art. I never realized how a cabbage can so accurately mimic the sound of a gory murder.

Please come back next year! I’m a fan for life. Catch me at the Jenny’s on Sunday night and it will be my pleasure to buy you all a beer!

Lisa Campbell

FOR SCIENCE!

Small Matters Productions—Asper Centre for Theatre and Film (U of W)

For Science was a unique and hilarious Fringe experiment! Two scientists get you involved in various tasks, some of them very recognizable. Nobody is forced to participate, but you’ll very likely want to! In some ways it’s similar to clown (its two characters are silent the entire show, assisted by some clear physicality and some production elements), but really, For Science! is its own sort of show entirely. A rare fringe gem!

Paul Blinov

Didn’t Hurt

Tonic Records—School of Contemporary Dancers

The title comes from Rodney Decroo’s pseudo bravado to the beatings he experienced from his sadistic father as a child. This is a true story that demonstrates the pain that passes from one damaged generation to the next, causing hurt, unmet needs and feelings of inadequacy. False masculinity, defined as don’t start a fight but finish it, real men don’t show pain, deep emotion, or cry, taught him lessons that needed a lifetime of therapy to unlearn. His father was scarred from his time in Vietnam, as were far too many; and the brutality he unleashed upon his son would have been illegal in today’s, slightly more enlightened society. The damage he inflicted on his wife and family by his abuse and alcoholism, caused the unit to dissolve and scatter.

Rodney is a masterful and moving storyteller. His struggle to self acceptance is ongoing but he’s getting there. A touching note is that he was able to finally reconcile with his aging father, come to understand him better and to finally be thanked for his care and hear the magic words: ”I love you son.“ His mother’s story doesn’t end as well.

He spins off to another character, that of an extremely damaged street youth, which again shows the tragedy of abuse, the gift that keeps on taking. He had my heart held rapt from start to finish. I would highly recommend this serious piece to anybody, but if you struggle severely with PTSD, this might be a bit to close to home. Thoroughly from the heart and expertly done! Thank you!

Lisa Campbell

Aaron Malkin: Dandelion

Aaron Malkin—Tom Hendry Warehouse

I suspect that this is a show that individual Fringe-goers are either going to like a lot or not at all. Aaron Malkin is half of James and Jamesy of 2 for Tea fame, and here he is again in another solo show. A previous solo show of his, Thunderfoot, from two years ago, was a powerfully dramatic account of the death of his mother through the eyes of himself as a young child. In Dandelion, he again mines his family life, this time with stories of his young son Julian.

For this show, Malkin dresses like a giant dandelion, with a bright yellow blazer, green tie and pants, and white shirt and shoes. He begins by talking about one of his recent James and Jamesy shows at the Regina Fringe Festival that had only six people in the audience. His focus henceforth is what it is like to be the father of a young son. He talks about kid jokes, dad jokes, his son’s fascination with dandelions, his son at a swimming pool not following some rules that I could not quite understand, kids making a mess with food and crayons, and misunderstandings that young children have (for example: the lady is pregnant because she swallowed a watermelon seed).

Malkin has a strong stage presence and is an engaging storyteller. If you are a fan of “cute kids stories” (or a whole bunch of them, one after the other), you will likely enjoy this show; otherwise, …

Konrad Antony

Ingenue: Deanna Durbin, Judy Garland and the Golden Age of Hollywood

Melanie Gall Presents—Tom Hendry Warehouse

I’ve been around long enough to remember when this mega-talented opera singer did her first Winnipeg Fringe. There were plenty of seats available. Then the word spread, like a tsunami. “Have you seen this woman? She is incredible!”. She embraced Winnipeg and Winnipeg just loves her back. Her shows are sold out, and deservedly so.

Whatever story she chooses to share, you can be assured you will be delighted. Melanie travels the world, with sold out houses wherever she goes. This year, she has chosen to share the true stories of Winnipeg’s own ingenue, Deanna Durban and shatters the Hollywood myth of her supposed rivalry with another star of the Golden Age, Judy Garland. You will be treated to the songs they made popular at the time, along with a superb narrative of the story. The time will fly as we follow these worldwide sweethearts through childhood, many marriages, the usual mistreatment of female stars by the big studios and the hounding of their every move by the press. Before you know it, you will be left smiling, nostalgic and thoroughly charmed.

She doesn’t need my endorsement, as she has those of us familiar with her past works showcasing Edith Piaf, Jaques Brel, Sophie Tucker and her 2 well-loved shows of songs to knit by, in the palms of her very talented hands. She also is reprising her children’s show, Opera Mouse, which my grandkids loved, at Kids Fringe. Book in advance, or get there early so you don’t miss out!

Lisa Campbell