Not Quite Sherlock: The Tunnel of Terror

Chris Gibbs 2—MTYP – Mainstage

I’m always up to see the mega talented Chris Gibbs. This is his consecutive second part to his Barnaby Gibbs character this Fringe. No need to have seen the previous one to enjoy this.

Gibbs relates the exploits of the guileless Barnaby and his idol, the crook hiding behind the detective guise to of Antoine Feval. He also adds a Canadian villain, using him as an excuse to poke fun at Canada and Canadians.

Bad, bad audience tonight, with a reviewer (myself) not cleverly hidden and several noisy patrons exiting during high points of the show. As usual, Gibbs made fun of both. Don’t be a fool and miss this.

Lisa Campbell

Super Funtimes Magic!

The Baggy Pants—Planetarium

I LOVED this show!!! Christopher Bange is an experienced magician and his sleight of hand was fantastic! I saw tricks that I’ve never seen before and was delightfully impressed. I am grateful that there are folks devoted to their craft who can provide the wonder and thrill that many of us seek specifically from magic shows. We want to be amazed and surprised and this show definitely delivered. Very kid friendly, so make sure to bring your little ones, although as an alleged grownup, I still enjoyed it immensely.

Calantha Jensen

ACK NOW

Theatre & Play—Théâtre Cercle Molière

A fun and lively show that combines AI, the perils of not reading the whole terms and conditions of an app contract, and the ever ubiquitous subscription model foisted upon us by almost every company these days. The script by Craig Terlson pulls from many Science Fiction inspirations. With lots of breaking of the fourth wall and some simple but well used props, the excellent cast of Kim Kay, Alex Mutcheson, and Zanifa Rasool had the audience laughing throughout.

Murray Hunter

Little Red and the Werewolf

All About Theatre Kids—The Gargoyle Theatre

This was one of the only kids shows that I’ve seen so far this year, and it was silly. I am a huge fan of fairy tales and folklore, and I’ve recently been studying certain narratives more closely. One of which is the story of Red Riding Hood. I have seen and read many different variations of this tale, but this one was by far the wildest. Twists and turns all over the place, with new and imaginative elements added that take the story far from its roots. I think the writing itself was rather chaotic, but I am impressed by the children’s ability to share multiple roles and play the show in an entirely different arrangement of casting each night. The live music is also a treat. The Q&A was great, as many kids in the audience had questions and I hope they are inspired to get involved in theatre as a result of seeing shows they enjoy.

Calantha Jensen

My toes striving till the tips of your fingers

Johanne Gour Danse—Théâtre Cercle Molière

Johanne Gour, who is wheelchair-bound, choreographs and performs in this work with two other dancers, Alexandra MacLean and Amélie Albert. It is an amazing collection of scenes that tell a story of the unexpected loss of the ability to control your body in the way you want, the struggle to accept there are some things you can no longer do, and the triumph in finding other ways you can express yourself. A very fascinating, emotional and touching performance.

Murray Hunter

The Mirror Sphere: The Sworn Protector

Kirkatures—John Hirsch Mainstage

A playwrights note on the back of the lengthy program describes this musical as a childhood story come to life- and it was apparent. Not, however, in the “I’ll put this on the fridge” way that some children’s stories are, but in the nostalgic, endearing “I remember doing things like this” kind of way. Unfortunately for the company, the venue assigned didn’t do them any favours, and some performers weren’t prepared for the volume needed to fill the space. Something I would say is perfect for kids 10 and up, who’ve had a chance to delve into adventure media in a more meaningful sense, The Mirror Sphere is a labour of love; chaotic and full of tropes, it milked its inspirations dry, and almost seemed too ambitious to fit into a single hour. I suppose that’s why there’s a sequel in the works. And I suppose that’s why I might be checking it out.

Arden Pruden

Theatre & Play

ACK NOW—Théâtre Cercle Molière

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“Thoughtful, humorous, insightful, and enjoyable! Especially if you love SciFi, go see this.” – Patron review.

Making It!

Megan Phillips—Dave Barber Cinematheque

This piece was perfect for first show of my day. Meagan has an infectious energy and charisma, and this is a story of her journey as a performer and an artist. She’s written about a dozen original songs, some insightful, some silly and all very funny. Her performance feels like you’re having some beautiful heartfelt shared moments with a good friend, and she is so much fun to watch. I found the content so relatable and hilarious, wholesome but also saucy. It will leave you with a smile, and a validating reminder that we do our best and we all have our own definition of what making it looks like. Also, bring a tea cup. She might have a treat for you.

Calantha Jensen

F*ck Marry Kill: The Improv Show

FMK Productions—The King’s Head Pub

I did not know Fuck Marry Kill was a game, not until the start of the performance. I guess I’m in the minority; when the cast asked who in the audience doesn’t know the game, mine was one of the few hands that went up.

I’m a veteran cruiser. I have almost enough cruise kilometres to get to the moon. Thus, you can believe it when I tell you what I know cruise ship games are like. I had the eerie feeling that this was going to be a hokey cruise game when it started. Don’t getme wrong: cruise games are fun, but on the ships, you also get unlimited, free alcoholic beverages to amp up your spirits.

Thankfully, once the “cards were dealt,” the performance turned back to being a show,rather than a game show. There are plenty of improv-type gags that go with the development, and some good ha-has throughout. I didn’t really get the “game” part of it,even with the “reveal” at the end. It would have been equally fun just to see the improv without the game and just made into a murder mystery.

Ray Yuen

Chase Padgett: Grab Bag Cabaret

Chase Padgett—PTE – Cherry Karpyshin Mainstage

Chase Padgett is another familiar figure to most Fringegoers at this point – he says this is his tenth time here. Most will know what to expect – multiple characters (despite his claim at the beginning to be eschewing that this year), brilliantly and hilariously brought to life, interspersed with equally brilliant guitar playing. This time is a little different, though; he’s using a deck of cards to determine which of numerous pieces to perform, and almost as importantly, in what order. Not all of them fit his usual mold – some, for example, more closely resemble standup comedy – and you might see a completely different show than I did. My personal favourite piece I saw was “Song Request Rant”, a half-standup, half-improv bit about what the songs people request from performers like him say about them personality, including suggestions from the audience. A close second is how he got CRABS! (it doesn’t mean what you think).

Jeff Heikkinen