Photo credit: Andrew Alexander

 

Occupy Me

August 14 – 19, 2013

Various Locations

http://counterpointplayers.com/occupy-me/

 

At the heart of every type of yoga practice is the notion of connection. Through yoga we get the opportunity to become more aware and connected to our bodies. In practice we connect our movement with breath. And if you work really hard at it and believe what the yogis teach us; through yoga our bodies connect spiritually to the world around us. So it’s ironic that Occupy Me, a show touted as interactive yoga theatre, is fundamentally void of the connection one needs to feel engaged to character and narrative.

Co-written by Ottawa natives Sarah Waisvisz and Bronwyn Steinberg and performed by Steinberg, Occupy Me brings the idea of participatory theatre to the yoga studio for a one hour class/confessional monologue. As the audience enters the studio space (in my viewing a cleared living room of a modern condo) they are greeted by Steinberg’s Sarah Lotus Blossom, our yoga instructor for the session. We are asked if we would like to participate in the class (yoga mats are laid out for takers) or if we would like to take a chair and be an observer with the important role of evaluating the instructor via the forms provided.

Right away I found this ability to effectively opt out of the experiential part of the show problematic. Those of us in the chairs (yes I was an observer as I figured I could actually take notes this way) found ourselves awkwardly facing both Ms. Blossom and the yoga-practicing audience with clipboards and forms in hand like some kind of forced jury. Isn’t the whole point of immersive theatre to actually immerse everyone in the action? Especially when the show’s marketing material clearly states that no yoga ability is needed. But while this physical connection seemed silly and unnecessary, it was the far more egregious creative disconnect that marred what was to come next.

Once settled in, Ms. Blossom begins the class. Or rather she hams her way through the start of the class by evoking the stereotypical enthusiastic yoga instructor patter that might have been amusing had it not sounded so utterly delivered in that ‘we can hear the writing behind it’ kind of manner. Steinberg’s stiff and over the top performance continued through the first few rounds of sun salutations accompanied by self-satisfied groaning sounds that fell somewhere between orgasm and eating a really good chocolate chip cookie.

Thankfully her performance does finally settle down and we start to see the theatre amongst the yoga. In between taking the audience through some light and easy yoga moves, Ms. Blossom delivers asides that blur the lines between simple eavesdropping on innermost thoughts and actual non sequitur lines spoken aloud by accident. It is through these that she reveals her angst. While she was obsessed with the Occupy Wall Street movement, Blossom never did join in to the cause and instead went to an ashram in India to try to find her path via a guru she ultimately never really believed in.  Now, back in the studio, Ms. Blossom is fraught with panic about why she didn’t chose to make a difference with the protesters and/or why she couldn’t bring herself to give her path over to the guru?

The bigger question is, are we supposed to care? The odd, seemingly cobbled together story aside, at no point is the audience given any reason, to like or relate or root for Ms. Blossom. Sure we can giggle at her occasionally when she gets carried away with her thoughts and ends up frantically leading the group through a set of yoga moves too quickly. And no doubt it is impressive to watch someone carry on with a script while doing a head stand. But a mild chuckle and some physical stunts does not a connection make. And without this feeling of investment in the character, her story becomes one big whine about events that interest us none despite being occasionally forced to sing and dance and stretch with her.

Steinberg and Waisvisz are definitely onto something by wanting to locate an interactive show within the context of a yoga class. It’s a smart idea with so much possibility. But until they figure out how to deliver an experience that all can participate in equally and a story that truly captures our imagination, I will bid them a Namaste and be glad to be on my way.

 

RATING

For yoga buffs – The show is neither a work out for your body or your brain. While you might laugh at some of the yoga references, it won’t be enough to engage you with the character or the story. SKIP IT

For the non-yogis – They say you need no yoga experience to participate and this is the truth.  Ability is not a factor in this show. But then neither is interesting entertainment. Sure the setting is unique and it’s nice to experience theatre in a different way, but different in the case doesn’t mean successful. SKIP IT

For the theatre junkies – Immersive theatre is a rarity in Calgary and if you’ve seen t done well you know how exciting it can be. Unfortunately this attempt, while unique in concept, just doesn’t live up to the hype. SKIP IT

 

 

Fugly

August 9 and 10, 2013

Stash Needle Art Lounge

http://see.calgaryfringe.ca/events/415-fugly

 

It’s easy when the Fringe Festival blows into town to get caught up with all the excitement of seeing dozens of national and international artists that we wouldn’t otherwise get the chance to see. Often we focus our attention on these import performances rather than take in what our local talents are staging at the festival. However doing this at the expense of seeing the The Janes’ bizarre, funny and at times disturbingly delicious, Fugly, means  you will have missed out one of this year’s truly great performances.

The absurd, Lewis Carroll-esque, comedy takes a stab at our notions of beauty, perfection what it means to be in control. Without any backstory or explanation, we are immediately thrust into what can only be called bizarro world at the start of the show when Perdida (a heavily made up young woman who’s looks as though she takes beauty advice from the Cirque du Soleil gang) finds herself lost in a strange place. Not just physically lost it turns out, but she’s also lost her mind. The news of this disappearance is told to her by a nymph-like character named Echo who becomes Perdida’s tour guide to help her reclaim her sanity.

As the play progresses and Perdida meets several odd characters that begin to give us a clue as to exactly what part of her “sanity “ is missing. There’s a beautifully vain gallery owner who reveals that her perfection belies and insecure past and gets Perdida to do the same. A muscle-bound gym rat who, despite her discipline, can’t seem to stay away from the buffet and bonds with Perdida over their shared eating issues. A young girl who turns from playmate into vicious bully. Finally Perdida attempts to connect with a most undesirable waitress, but ends up tuning on her with hurtful callousness.

Played out in a surreal, cartoon-like setting, the performers give not one false note in their characterizations. Helen Night as Perdida is vulnerable one minute and cold and distant the next. Joleen Ceraldi plays the quirky Echo with both wonder and sagacity. Heather Falk as the many characters Perdida encounters steals every scene she’s in with her incredible comic timing and ability to inject darkness into some amazingly funny writing. Her performance in the gym-rat scene alone is worth getting a ticket to this show.

Along the way we get many observations on Perdida’s (our) obsession with beauty and the harm it does. Dialogue such as Perdida lamenting, “Why can’t I control myself! But I guess it’s nice to know that others can’t either”. When Echo suggests that misery loves company, Perdida hisses back, “I don’t want company, I want control.” And the search for her mind continues.

If I have one criticism of the show it is that while we get many of these astute observations of our unhealthy attitudes and behaviour, Fugly never does offer any conclusion or insight into how or if this can change. We are shown our worst nature and then shown the door. Not that I necessarily wanted a neatly tied up positive or forced ending. But if The Jane’s mandate is, as they say, “to promote discussion and change”, then I would have liked a more substantive message than, we suck.

This lack of greater insight aside, Fugly is a wonderfully weird visual and emotional spectacle that beautifully transports us to it’s bizarre reality in order to really see ourselves. It is therefore a show that really must be seen.

 

RATING

For Fringeaholics – Creative theatrical experiences like this from our hometown talent is part of what makes fringing so satisfying. Different than anything else you will see this year, Fugly, is a killer performance that needs to be witnessed. SEE IT

For light Fringers – Not exclusively for a female audience, although probably more personally relatable to the women out there, Fugly is a show for those wanting some harsh reality with their laughs. MAYBE SEE IT 

 

Ludwig and Lohengrin

August 3, 4, 6, 8, 9 and 10, 2013 

Festival Hall

http://see.calgaryfringe.ca/events/401-ludwig-lohengrin

 

“How can you remain sane when you have to split yourself into several irreconcilable pieces?” It’s a question anyone who struggles with desire vs. expectation must at times ask themselves. In Kyall Rakoz’s wonderfully creative and stupendously performed one-man play, Ludwig & Lohengrin, the query doesn’t come from the person himself, it’s asked about him by one who already knows the answer.

Based on historical events, Ludwig & Lohengrin, examines the life of King Ludwig II of Bavaria who ruled as monarch from 1864 until 1886. Known as the Mad King, Ludwig spent much of his time ignoring his royal duties in favour of obsessing over art and artists, building fairy tale castles, hanging about with peasants and running off to imagined places in his mind and wherever his legs would let him wander off to.

But in Rakoz’s telling (based on a decent amount of research into the subject), it wasn’t the lack of leadership skills or the fact that insanity ran in his genes that landed Ludwig with that title. It was because he was a dreamer, he was a pacifist and he was secretly gay. All three of which angered his ministers and cabinet to the point of labeling him insane in order to seize power and eventually murder him. At least that’s the story Rakoz presents. And what a presentation it is!

Ludwig himself is cleverly absent from the story and instead Rakoz gives us accounts of his life from those that loved him and those that felt he was unfit. Some as straight, plot-driven narrative and some delivered as interview or confessional form. But this is not a chose your own adventure kind of story. Rakoz is clear that it is the besieged and relatable King we are to side with. The one who was thrust into a role never desired and a man who desired but was never allowed to truly and openly love the way he wanted.

But if anyone minded being told which way to think about these historical events, Rakoz’s enthralling fluency as a multitude of capital C characters surely distracted them from any concern. Frankly I lost count of just how many parts he was playing, but I do know that whether it was the Baroness (with shades of Downton Abbey Maggie Smith) or Wagner (the manipulative composer taking every advantage of Ludwig’s royal patronage) or the no-nonsense maid, Rakoz landed each role with perfect timing, humour and emotion.

But what really elevates this show to a higher plane is Rakoz’s brilliantly orchestrated design and direction. Never before has a plain white sheet been put to such good use on a stage. In what can almost be described as linen choreography, Rakoz twists, bends, shakes out, drapes and rewinds the sheet again to have it serve every costume and set purpose he needs. At one point it’s the backdrop for a shadow puppet rendition of the Lohengrin fairy tale, next thing it’s a skirt so perfectly conceived that it even has the time appropriate rear bustle. The result is both beautiful and surprising and you can feel the audience’s expectation as to just how this simple prop is going to be used next.

Ludwig & Lohengrin is by no means the first historically reimagined play and the murder of an eccentric 19^th century King due to his political and sexual views perhaps doesn’t have resonance today beyond the  stage. But, in Rakoz’s hands, it is without a doubt one of the best experiences of the 2013 Fringe Festival.

 

RATING

For Fringeaholics – You go to so many plays in hopes of seeing one or two that surprise and thrill you. There are lots of great shows this year, but Ludwig and Lohengrin will stand out as something truly unique and magical and therefore is not to be missed. SEE IT

For light Fringers – See a comedy. See a confessional monologue. But also make sure you see this wildly creative drama that takes care to stimulate you visually as well as intellectually. SEE IT

 

Borderland

August 3, 4,6,7,8,9 and 10, 2013

Lantern Church Sanctuary

http://see.calgaryfringe.ca/events/414-borderland

 

Recently we’ve been bombarded with news coverage on Russia’s anti-gay laws as they pertain to the upcoming 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi. Many are outraged by the oppression not just for visiting athletes, but for the Russian gay community that has to live with this grim reality on a day-to-day basis.

But if Russia has made being gay difficult, Iran has made it deadly. Article 111 of Iran’s Islamic Penal Code states that not only is homosexuality a crime, but it is a crime punishable by death. This oppressive law is the central theme and motivator behind Borderland, and uneven but well-intended play written and performed by Izad Etemadi.

At the opening of the show we meet Navid, a gay Iranian 20-something hiding out in the back of a truck being smuggled out of Iran. He’s on his way to a holding place called Borderland, where he will await his immigration papers to a country where he can live freely. It’s a bit of a shaky start in both performance and staging with Navid hiding under a blanket, not hiding, talking and singing in a flip/flop kind of fashion that does little to convey what must be a terrifying escape. Etemadi doesn’t do himself any favour either by having Navid met at his drop point by a clichéd and fairly wooden thug who is more interested in having Navid help him hide his drugs then he is in actually saving Navid from certain death.

When Navid finally reaches his safe house, owned by a needlessly over the top woman named Layla, I started checking out of what I had hoped would be a moving and insightful piece of theatre. While I  wasn’t charmed by Etemadi’s attempt to inject humour to his show via Layla I was even more turned off by the sudden breaking into non-sequitur original song (composed by  Peggy Hogan) that Navid seemed to be doing haphazardly throughout the show.

However just when I had given up hope, the plot turned from the present to the past and we were shown the sweet and somewhat innocent blossoming of Navid’s sexuality and his first true love. Wow, was I snapped back to attention for these scenes. Etemadi is a loveable and genuine presence onstage and when he first feels loves, we feel it with him and when that love goes wrong, our hearts break for him. Not to mention that while we are swooning or crying along with him, we are also very aware that his life is in peril due to the gender of his affections.

Unfortunately Borderland doesn’t linger long enough in the past to make up for its failings in other scenes resulting in a show that had me in the palm of its hand one minute and totally lost me the next. But I will give extra points for an ending that doesn’t take the obvious road and leaves the audience with no question of the plight of gay men and women in Iran.

 

RATING

For Fringeaholics – While this is probably the only political/social play on this Fringe’s roster and one that takes on an important subject, the unevenness makes it hard to really get fully involved with this script in the way that one would hope. MAYBE SEE IT

For light Fringers – Seeing a play about such an important issue is almost a must. But when the play doesn’t quite live up to the importance of the subject it addresses, it makes it hard to single it out. MAYBE SEE IT

 

Limbo

August 3, 4, 5, 6, 9 and 10, 2013 

Artpoint Gallery

http://see.calgaryfringe.ca/events/395-limbo

 

Confessional monologues are a mainstay of Fringe Festivals. Take one actor, have him or her talk about their embarrassing childhood/breakup/weird job/sexual awakening and add in three parts humour, two parts revelation and a dash of inspiration and there you have it, perfect Fringe fodder. Don’t get me wrong, these type of personal shows, when done right, are some of my favorite experiences at the festival. I find it tremendously interesting and extremely brave for a performer to go onstage and splay their private experiences open for us to be entertained by. But it’s one thing to reveal that you were a geek as a kid or that you had your heart-broken by a first love and it’s another thing altogether to build a play around the fact that you have a mental illness that makes you think about raping or murdering people and that you are regularly in the throes of delusional possession. Talk about wounds laid bare for all to see and judge!

But what makes Andrew Bailey’s show Limbo so compelling is that way before we could ever form judgement on his strange affliction, he pulls the rug out from under us by being a harsher critic of himself than we ever could be. He knows his feelings and impulses and worries are detrimental and he suffers from that knowledge just as much as he suffers from the nefarious thoughts that obsess him. All we’re left to do is watch with sympathy and curiosity and hope that he finds his way.

The show begins the day after Andrew, at age 13, decides not to kill himself thanks to caring parents that listen and find him the help he needs. We meet his psychiatrist, an ex-hippie laid back sort who assures Andrew that these “bad” thoughts he’s having are just thoughts and that because he doesn’t and would never act on them, he shouldn’t obsess about it. Yeah, right. Instead, Andrew not only fixates on these issues endlessly, but he turns to God for help believing that it was a holy power that caused him not to kill himself in the first place. In a kind of tit for tat deal, Andrew promises to make his ‘saved’ life religiously meaningful as payback for the second chance. But no matter how devoted his life becomes or how good his deeds are, Andrew can’t run away from the demons that threaten to pull him under into total madness.

It’s a heartbreaking process to watch that is beautifully delivered by Bailey on stage. Also beautifully done are the moments of levity he injects into the script so that the audience gets some much-needed breathing room to laugh with and at his character. Particularly effective are his ‘time outs’ where he speaks directly to the audience in a traditional aside format letting them in on things and cracking jokes. For example, he tells us that his reference to David Bowie’s music as the mental backdrop for his possessions as a way of making them less scary for us. It works by the way. Once the audience knows what it’s dealing with in Andrew’s condition, we move beyond freaked out or frightened and instead start to root for the guy hoping that this all comes to some kind of positive finish.

I won’t ruin the end for you expect to say that it’s a perfectly imperfect conclusion that muses on suffering, belief and compassion in a way that I was very moved by. This is a brave show by a brave actor that will make you grateful and thoughtful and more understanding human beings. How many Fringe shows can claim that?

 

RATING

For Fringeaholics – Getting serious at a Fringe Fest is hard work with all of the comedies and cabarets and imrov offerings out there. But this one is worth putting away the volume-10 laugh meter in order to take in the pleasure of an honest and difficult story told with courage and charm and yes, even humour. SEE IT

For light Fringers – Fringes are about seeing unusual shows with great performers. This is certainly one of them. It’s one of those shows that will stay with you long after the comedies you seen have faded from memory. SEE IT

 

Fat Sex! Steve Larkin’s body….of poems and songs!

August 2, 3, 5, 6, 8 and 9, 2013

Lolita’s Lounge

http://see.calgaryfringe.ca/events/408-fat-sex-steve-larkins-body-of-poems-and-songs

 

Ladies and Gentleman, the winner of this year’s most misleading Fringe Festival poster by a landslide victory goes to: Fat Sex! Steve Larkin’s body…..of poems and songs! As seen above, the image promoting Larkin’s performance features a sexy woman’s body and Larkin’s own goofy-faced head on top. Put that image together with a title like Fat Sex! and it isn’t a stretch to assume that this show is a bawdy, intended or ironically misogynist look at all things sexual and corporeal. First glance for me with this kind of build-up and ‘no thanks’ are the words that come to mind.

But wait, take the time to go online and read the description of the show and you’ll see review quotes that claim the content is subversive and will be enjoyed by lovers of classic literary forms. Take the time to Google Larkin and you’ll find that he is a spoken word artist, poet, performer, musician, university lecturer, 2004 “International Poetry Slam Champion” and nominee for Oxford Professor of Poetry. Huh? How do all these notable accomplishments square with the impression of the show Larkin is promoting? The answer is it doesn’t.

Fat Sex! is just one of about 6 pieces of performance poetry Larkin delivers(some with musical accompaniment) in this fifty-five minute set. Turns out the eponymous poem is really an astute observation on how women’s magazines bully females into obsessing about weight and how they aren’t having good enough or regular enough or hot enough sex. Larkin brings his perceptive way of thinking and deliciously wordy ways of communicating to this and his other pieces, making Fat Sex! quite the opposite of what is gleaned on first impression.

During the show we hear a poem commissioned by the British government where Larkin encourages “old codgers” to exercise and “dodge the coffin”. There’s a wonderfully moving song piece called ‘Ape’ where Larkin takes on the persona of an orangutan lashing out at humans for their mistreatment. Probably the most interesting of the lot is a political poem called ‘Post-Colonial Global Blues’ that tackles everything from disenfranchisement to fast food.

While not all of Larkin’s poetry/songs get enthusiastic applause from the crowd, there is no doubt that behind each piece is a sharp, engaged and witty mind. Performance-wise, I found Larkin’s often scream-like volume to be too much at times and his insistence on crowd participation a bit forced. His poetry does call out for performance, and he certainly gives it his all, working hard to bring each piece to vivid life. At the end of the show however, it was not the delivery that intrigued me, but rather the words themselves which I might have been happier to read by myself without all the hoopla that comes along with it in this performance.

 

RATING

For Fringeaholics – This show comes down to a taste thing. Do you like loud, in your face performance poetry? Do you like your poetry social and political? If so, then yes, this is a great Fringe show to see. If not, then maybe take a pass. MAYBE SEE IT

For light Fringers – Well, first of all, know what this show is really all about before you grab a ticket. Then decide if a partially funny but mostly satirical or serious performance poetry cabaret show is one of the few shows you see with so many other great performances out there. MAYBE SEE IT

 

Geek Life

August 3, 4, 5, 7, 8 and 10, 2013 

Lantern Church Gym

http://see.calgaryfringe.ca/events/403-geek-life

 

What exactly is a Geek? Is it a sci-fi fanatic? A math whiz? A video game devotee? Well, yes but no, but maybe, according to Aji Slater, writer and star of the one-man show Geek Life. A geek, Aji tells us, is made up of three things. Firstly, geeks like things a lot. Whatever those things may be.  Gardening, music, wine etc., they all count. Second of all, geeks are out. Unlike hipsters who like things but pretend they don’t, geeks like to shout about the things they like. Finally, geeks are social. They want to share the joy they take from their passion with others.

So why is Aji a geek? There are many reasons from the geek parents who sired him to his early book and reading obsession to his obsession with illustration at art school. But really, Aji is a Geek because he decided to become a clown that specialized in juggling. Partly because he needed and wanted to run away to the circus to escape a broken heart, but mainly because he, like all good geeks, loves it.

And like all good geeks who want to share their passion, Geek Life is one of Aji’s ways of telling his story and showing his clown/juggling talent to people – In this case a captive audience. Which is just fine with us as he is a sweetly charming and natural performer that had more than one woman in the audience wanting to just go up and give him a hug.

True that his comic writing and timing isn’t as polished as many of the other performers you’ll find at this year’s Fringe Fest. But how many of them can balance a champagne bottle, glass flutes and a cocktail table on their face? All at the same time? Aji weaves just enough of his balance/juggling tricks into his narrative to keep things moving and his presence is so amiable and real that we can forgive him for running on a bit too long.

At one point Aji tells the audience that he considered calling the show ‘Clown Life’ instead of Geek Life, but was afraid that with people’s distaste for clowns, it would put folks off. I concur. Being no fan of clowns or even juggling for that matter, a show entitled ‘Clown Life’ probably wouldn’t have been on my must-see list. But after spending an hour with what turned out to be a thoroughly talented, affable and delightful clown/juggler/solo performer, I may just have to adjust my thinking in future.

 

RATING

For Fringeaholics – He’ll be the darn sweetest personality you’ll see on stage and for my money it’s genuine. What this show lacks in slickness it makes up for in a good story and some fantastic tricks that never verge into slapstick or kiddie-like performance. SEE IT

For light Fringers – It’s a sweet, fun, physical show that will leave you smiling. Not a must see if you only have a few shows to go to, but it should be a close second-string on your list. MAYBE SEE IT

Rel8Shun

August 3, 4, 5, 8, 9 and 10, 2013 

Alexandra Centre Society

http://see.calgaryfringe.ca/events/391-rel8shun

What do you get if you take Oscar and Felix-like characters from Neil Simon’s Odd Couple, make one of them gay, and catholic, with a family who has disowned him and a sister who is trying not to be ashamed of him despite the fact that she too may be gay?  Then make the other one fall for a girl in their apartment building despite just being separated from his wife who kicked him out but then reveals that she’s pregnant, aborting the baby, but then maybe not, but then what to do about the new girl who he really likes but is just as screwed up emotionally as him?

If you answered a hot mess of a play that tries to fit too much plot into one show, you’d be right.

Rel8shun was first presented in Calgary last year as a two-hour, two act production. It then went to play at the Victoria Fringe where it was pared down to one hour. The iteration playing at the Calgary Fringe is a combination of the two shows, clocking in at and hour and a half. But even a (heaven forbid) longer version of this show wouldn’t make up for the overstuffed feeling of disparate and forced narrative arcs that crowds this play into suffocation.

The one bright spot in this otherwise disappointing show is some lovely acting by the male leads. Tanner d’Esterre as Tyson, the gay, neat freak roommate shows nice comedic timing even when faced with clichéd lines that make Will and Grace seem current and cutting edge. Duane Jones as Jeff, the guys-guy slob, brings a natural ease to his character that one can’t help but feel affection for. His lovely elevator scenes as he works up the courage to ask the object of his affection out are heart-swellingly adorable. The ladies unfortunately don’t fare as well. Stephanie Orr as Li, the building love interest, is obvious and forgettable and Taylor Thompson as Tyson’s God-fearing sister is inexcusably wooden.

We keep waiting for all the story lines to tie together or at least make sense cohabiting in the same play, but this never comes. Nor does any real sense of what the playwright was trying to say with the narrative in the first place. We are told in the program notes that the show means to address relationships and what we are willing to do in order to sustain one. But by the time the performance came to a gag-worthy, melodramatic end complete with moody lighting and swelling music, all I was trying to sustain was my dinner.

RATING

For Fringeaholics – Seeing an ensemble piece is rare at the Fringe and it’s always a nice break from the plethora of solo shows. Unfortunately this one will send you tearing back to the simplicity and economy of the one actor genre. SKIP IT

For light Fringers – Rel8shun is probably one, if not the only show at the Fringe that resembles a traditional play with multiple actors and a linear storyline. Perhaps after all the alterative stuff you’ve been seeing, you need something a little more familiar. While I can’t recommend Rel8shun for its content, I can concede that it might hit a safe spot for you. MAYBE SEE IT

 

The Show Must Go On

August 3, 4, 5, 6, 8 and 10, 2013

Artpoint Gallery              

http://see.calgaryfringe.ca/events/394-the-show-must-go-on

 

Jeff has wanted to be an actor ever since he was five years old. He wants fame and glory and the chance to make a difference in the world. What he gets is the opportunity to be part of a children’s touring troupe of actors set on having a perfect year by fulfilling all 186 of their cross Canada elementary school show dates.

Jeff, played by Jeff Leard who also wrote the show, is a composite of true stories amassed from real-life actors about their experiences touring children’s theatre and life on the road as a company. This show may be about children’s theatre but it is definitely not for kids. At times it’s bawdy, violent, gross, inappropriate and distinctly anti-kid. But just so there is no mistake, it is also smartly funny, beautifully written, cleverly directed and wonderfully performed with just enough smattering of touching emotional elements so as not to make this show a one trick pony.

Sure we get scenes where a kid, sitting on a gym floor, pees herself and soaks her classmates in the process. Yes there is the requisite child throw-up during performance moment. And just so the kids don’t have all the fun, there is even a lascivious teacher sex scene thrown in for good measure. There is even a drug-dealing homocidal maniac. In the wrong hands these elements could have been played crassly without caring about anything but the laughs they elicit. But Lear’s talent in this script is his ability to inject little tidbits of warmth into these situations to bring humanness to the sarcasm and dark humour.

But it’s the performance that really seals the deal. Staring out a tad too bombastic and over the top for my liking, Leard settles in to his multi character roles and gives us a physically dynamic and wonderfully funny performance. He is a strong actor who needs to trust that his audience doesn’t need all that bombast and at times William Shatner-esque delivery to find him compelling and comical. I liked him best when he dialed it down and gave us Jeff, the actor as opposed to JEFF THE ACTOR.

Even with this quibble, I found myself greatly amused and impressed with the whole construct of the performance. A smarmy show about children’s theatre that ends with a revelation and a soft emotional underbelly is a long trajectory to travel without seeming clichéd. Thanks to Leard’s deft creativity, we get there with great pleasure, happy for the ride.

 

RATING

 

For the Fringeaholics – Don’t be put off (as I was) by the marketing material for this show which makes the performance sound crass and farcical. Sure there are some over the top elements, but they all have a smart edge to them and at no time does the play run off the rails into zany town.  SEE IT

For the light Fringers – Jeff Leard is a performer that demands your attention and deserves it. He is funny, smart, physically deft, and full of energy. And most importantly, he has crafted a funny, tight show that lets you behind the curtain of children’s performance in a way you won’t soon forget. SEE IT

 

Serving Bait to Rich People

August 2, 3, 4, 7, 9 and 10, 2013 

Artpoint Gallery

http://see.calgaryfringe.ca/events/397-serving-bait-to-rich-people

 

Alexa Fitzpatrick is a Jewish/Irish girl from Jersey who gave up a career in medicine to become a full-time bartender.  First at a dive bar in New York and then a dive bar in Aspen until finally she became a bartender/waiter in the posh Aspen location of the famous Nobu restaurant.  Alexa has taken her experiences bar tending and waitering and decided to create an amateurish one hour stand-up comedy routine about it all. It’s not about what you do, it’s about how well you do  and unfortunately for Alexa, her Fringe show Serving Bait to Rich People just isn’t up to snuff.

Standing on stage with a microphone delivering her one liners and some longer form jokes, Alexa has a likeable enough personality and some good energy, but not the content to pull off a well-rounded Fringe show. We get many well-worn punch lines instead of storyline (My sister has this great guy to set me up with, she says we have so much in common…we’re both single!)  and lines that just fall flat (Why do we never hear about wet wine? It’s a liquid, why is it called dry?). To be fair, Alex does have some smart bits mixed in with the banal, like her skewering of Cosmopolitan magazine’s philosophy which she claims tells women, “Remember girls, it’s all about pleasing him, so if he doesn’t like it, you’re doing it wrong and he doesn’t like you because you are fat.” It’s after her delivery of these clever and biting notions that the rest of her sex-laden, pedestrian comedy seems even more uninteresting.

But more problematic than this or the flow of the jokes which veer wildly all over the place in time, subject and theme, is the fact that Alexa has notes on stage to help her remember her act. Disguised as a prop in a restaurant bill folder on the table beside her, Alexa frequently glances down between punch lines to find her place in the show. And we know it.

This kind of ill preparation along with a stand-up routine that had very few original or creative moments of humour made for a long and mostly dull hour. Yet, there were those audience members giggling away at the jokes Alexa was slinging. Either they hadn’t heard the standards she rhymed off or they’re the type of folks who will laugh at this type of humour time and time again. Hey, I’m tremendously glad they had a good time. But for me, a string of bawdy sit-com-like jokes helped along by a cheat sheet does not a quality Fringe show make.

RATING

For Fringeaholoics – You go to the Fringe to see shows, not acts that would fare well on amateur night at your local comedy club. Alexa has promise as a compelling personality on stage – perhaps she’ll come back again when her talent has matured. SKIP IT

For light Fingers – The show delivers mindless humour that goes down as easy as watching a network sit com. If this is your thing– then perhaps you’ll be amongst those laughing in the audience. MAYBE SEE IT