“Get Me the F**k Out of Edmonton” and other ramblings from a Fringe Has-been

Wes Borg—John Hirsch Mainstage

Old Fringers like us have been jumping out of our skin with excitement since we heard Wes Borg, of 3 Dead Trolls in a Baggie fame, was finally returning to the city that adored him so much. This show stands alone, but has special meaning for those of us who sorta remember those hazy, crazy, beer-soaked days of the Fringe in the 80’s. Those days were special to those of us who were lucky enough to have been there. Some of us even met our spouses there(guilty). Those days were crazier, rowdier with beer gardens packed to bursting with artists and fans; until we were thrown out to stagger over to reluctantly close the King’s Head. Parties continued into the morning. The beer garden and patio were filled to capacity nightly. 3 Dead Trolls were a major and truly important part of those days. Our Fringe has changed, evolved, and become a more serious fest that doesn’t have the boundary-pushing antics of the past. Performers and patrons don’t mix and party the way we used to. The Fest was more centralized; with the action more crammed into the city core, and especially Market Square. As the Fest has grown and expanded its parameters to the Gas Station and MTYP, for example, the tone has changed. You can do the whole Fringe and not bump into your friends. There is not the intense sharing of word of mouth that happened when foot traffic was contained around the Square. I miss those days. Enough nostalgia.

But no, this show IS nostalgic. The spirit of the late Troll, Joe Byrd, who loved my cooking, was part of this act, bless his crazy soul. You even get to be flashed by his life-sized puppet. Wes was in fine, bare foot mode. Don’t worry, he hasn’t grown up that much. His silly, goofy grin and wild curls are just the same. The show was warm, endearing and entertaining. His humour is still sharp and wiser with age. He shares his hilarious tales of life, and Fringing on the road, with his wife, who just happens to be his motor home. Go listen, and let him explain. His songs are hilarious and crude. His attitude is F-U if you don’t like my style; but the huge audience there, loved it. He was there to perform for his base and they were there to show him how much he was missed. Well done Wes! Welcome back! And please don’t be a stranger.

Lisa Campbell