Hmong Class 101

Jasmine Vang—The Rachel Browne Theatre

Jasmine Vang delivers a surprisingly relatable yet personal tutorial on life as a Hmong-American. Her experience echoes that of many second and third generation North Americans who feel caught between competing identities: disconnected from the traditional expectations, language, and culture of their parents and grandparents; feeling out of place in the country where they were born; and conforming to or confronting the ideals and stereotypes that outsiders might assume of one’s ethnic background.

Vang’s polished celebration of her heritage features excellent physical portrayals of her intergenerational Hmong relations, along with an exploration of her insecurities around identity growing up Hmong in the United States. While audiences will certainly learn something about the ethnic and historical nuances of Hmong culture, the show also offers a broader, resonant insight into the push and pull of competing identities, something many descendants of immigrant diaspora will recognize.

Ashley Frantik

Bob Marley: How Reggae Changed the World

Duane Forrest—John Hirsch Mainstage

First time Winnipeg Fringer Duane Forrest brings us a collection of stories on some of the history of Bob Marley and Jamaica, of the roots of ‘reggay’, and of his own discovery of self and culture all interwoven between a selection of music that is sure to get your toes tapping and heads bopping.

His heartwarming tale of looking past the surface to get a deeper understanding about yourself and others, especially in these uncertain times, is inspiring and will leave you feeling a little more rocksteady.

His passion and positive energy for the material is through the roof! His joy in the sharing the music fills the hall and his smile only grows larger the more the audience sings along. He embodies Marley’s message of Peace, Love and Reggae! You don’t want to miss this talented musician and storyteller!

Tim Hogue

Brain Machine

Andrew Bailey—The Rachel Browne Theatre

Completely unsurprising that this is a remount of an extremely well reviewed show.

Like every great storytelling show, we flip between interesting historical anecdotes and hilarious to gutting personal stories. That this format is formulaic ain’t a shot against the show, as any breaks I’ve seen from this format have been universally negative. Bailey has extremely impressive delivery, a history in standup being evident from his comedic responses to crowd reactions. The writing as well is great, which is only to be expected by a show with at least 7 years for constructive revisions. Absolutely fantastic.

Josh Fidelak

The Singing Psychic Game Show

Glint of Light Ltd—Tom Hendry Warehouse

The titular Singing Psychic kicks off her unique musical psychic readings by showing off local knowledge, linking Winnipeg to hit pop song references from across the 20th century. She carries this bit across the show, which primarily features dance-along and party games, where audience members, both individually and in groups, score points for their teams that she divided the entire audience into.

The games are interspersed with impressive solo numbers and personal storytelling from the host, who also doles out symbolic prizes and gifts with bespoke song-inspired fortunes. The opening show felt disorganized with the final, appropriately Canadian-themed bingo being especially rushed.

Post-show, The Jenny Revue discovered that, like the one their reviewer was given, many audience members received eerily en pointe readings from the host. Unfortunately there was little time to reveal this to the audience during the performance. Hopefully after the opening-show hiccups are ironed out, future performances will dedicate more time to showcase the singer’s psychic abilities in addition to her musical talents.

Ashley Frantik

Fakespeare’s Macbeth

Jack&Marlowe—Son of Warehouse

The packed house thoroughly enjoyed the show; which is not a play, but a comedy sketch which bounces off Shakespeare’s Macbeth in this go round. Patrick Hercamp, of Sound and Fury fame does a great job of keeping his audience happy as he whips through his show, sometimes speaking so rapidly he’s inaudible. This is an old criticism voiced by previous reviewers. I heard many glowing comments as we exited ; such as ‘that was a great time!’. If you love Shakespeare, this is a rewarding 45 minutes.

Lisa Campbell

pool (no water)

Kinetica Creative—Théâtre Cercle Molière

Extremely stark play about the arts, jealousy, and the absolute desolation that these can bring onto people and their social relationships. Featuring a cast largely pulled from the U of M theatre program, this adaptation of Mark Ravenhill’s script is filled with energy. The physical theatre aspect was strong, but for the most part understated, which wasn’t unappreciated but I would have definitely enjoyed a greater focus on it during the show. Purposefully uncomfortable, and a show for the brave of heart.

Josh Fidelak

Tycho Freakin’ Brahe!

Kiss the Giraffe Productions—John Hirsch Mainstage

This nerdy, campy, professionally presented local musical is ridiculous in all the right ways. Tycho Freakin’ Brahe! Is a pseudo-historic romp full of Knight’s Tale–esque anachronistic parties, duels, and rockstar swagger (pun abso‑freakin’‑lutely intended). The cheesy props, costumes, and projected backdrops perfectly match the show’s irreverent tone. Reminiscent of The Book of Mormon, the show blends science puns, fact, and absurd comedy to great effect.

While infectiously wacky, a few scenes and numbers feel padded with jokes that landed better elsewhere in the show’s sharper, more polished moments. Even so, the cast commits 180% to the bit, delivering performances that sparkle with the enthusiasm of outlandish farce. The show also benefits from some clever structural turns and reliably catchy tunes, courtesy of Winnipeg Fringe mainstay Joseph Aragon. The title song is especially freakin’ memorable and will be wormed into your ear long after the curtain call.

Ashley Frantik

You’ve Been Served

Pushy Productions—Planetarium

I had a relative who always went for the “bad boys.” She liked the risk associated with this sort of person and the excitement that it brought.

Unfortunately, bad boys grow up to be bad men.

The risk involved theft, bullying and eventually mental and physical abuse. Meanwhile, the perfectly respectable guys sheepishly waited on the sidelines, ready to pick up the pieces. They hoped to be the next Amor, but alas, they often stayed “just friends.” That is sad on so many fronts, both for the nice guys and especially the womyn who get abused.

This is the plot that ran through my head while listening to Zeigler’s story. She jumps from one bad marriage to another disastrous encounter, enticed by the allure and the danger of the mystery and the unknown. Even knowing that she’s diving into the underbelly of society, she blindly pursues the life, hoping for bliss and reward at the end. Meanwhile, the down-to-earth person is the saviour she hopes to bail her out when everyone else fails her.

It’s a sad story, and I hope people can learn from it. Bad boys, or bad partners, might (and that’s a very loose “might”) have a place in youthful exploration, but leave the garbage people in the landfill. Noemi Zeigler tells this story through song, dance, and discourse in an entertaining and fun outing.

Ray Yuen

The Gallery Wall

evens and odds—Son of Warehouse

Written by Evan Thomas Martin, this is a cute drama/comedy about two women meeting at a moment of personal transition, and the interesting drama that this interaction brings. Well acted and well written, the two characters have fantastic chemistry, and the unfolding of their fraught histories in their conversation was well structured and presented.

Josh Fidelak

The Auntie Show

Broken Record Productions—MTC Up the Alley

It is the Auntie Show, staged as a Radio call in show where the Aunties give advice, answer questions, and tell stories. The stories are then acted out as sketches. A couple of the sketches were weaker than the others, but overall they contained a lot of laughs and come from a point of view that only the Aunties can provide. Don’t mess with the Aunties!

Murray Hunter