The Buzz – Reviews – 2016

Charlatan!

Travis Bernhardt—The Cinematheque

Three years ago I saw Travis Bernhardt do his Fringe magic show Unpossible, in which he did some pretty amazing tricks with decks of playing cards. In Charlatan he tries “something different.” He works off input from the audience throughout so each performance is also likely to vary significantly too. The first thing he did during the show I saw was to play off questions that audience members wrote on cards before the show began. This was the best part of the show, not so much because Travis was able to provide solid answers to the queries, but because of the funny things he was able to say in the moment. For the next part, he claimed to get sensations of various things in his mind – like certain animals or first names – and tried to elicit responses from the audiences. Some of these fell flat, with more than one suggestion not resonating with anyone, but he was entertaining enough to prevent things from becoming too awkward. As the show progressed, Travis then moved onto a series of different activities, including having everyone clap to the rhythm of their pulses, or having people bounce invisible balls of energy throughout the room, but it wasn’t always clear what these actions were intended to demonstrate. Overall, Travis had a good rapport with the audience but his material needed sharpening and a clearer focus.

Konrad Antony

Paradise Lost

Rabbit in a Hat Productions—School of Contemporary Dancers

Full on puppet nudity and a snake means you have this reviewers attention. This stunning piece of unique theatre is the complete package. There was talented puppetry, vocal tricks through a microphone, silk projections with fascinating animation, and a wickedly talented performer. This adaptation of the epic poem left me wanting more and sad that it ended. Although it was tough at times to follow the story due to the speed of the performers dialogue, there was enough physical elements throughout the show to help me follow along. I loved the used of silks as both projection screen and costume. The images projected acted as a wonderful story telling tool and but also helped to give more depth to the characters portrayed. This is a definite must see for this year’s fringe.

Kaitlyn Kriss

God Is A Scottish Drag Queen IV

Mike Delamont—MTYP – Mainstage

Mike is an addiction you can be proud of. Unlike other Fringe performers who remount or slightly change their show, each of Mike’s productions is all new and stands alone. His appearance alone is worth the admission. He says he loves Winnipeg and we love him back! He had the appreciative audience howling non-stop.

He endears himself to his audience as he romps his way from explaining how and why he created the world as he did, with some hilarious explanations of his ‘ mistakes’, such as the platypus, to insightful social and political commentary. He is a master of his craft, interacting with the crowd throughout, as he zig-zags throughout history in this excellently produced show. If you want to know how God really wants the world to be, go hear it from the source! If you caught any of his previous visits from above, you will already be going, and if you aren’t , you should!

Lisa Campbell

C-

SPNP Tech—Son of Warehouse

This show starts off with an impression so convincing I thought I would be listening to 60 minutes of southern drawl from an ex frat boy. Eric Jaffe, was a very charismatic story teller who told a relatable and concise story. At times the monologues in the show run a bit long but this is necessary as we the audience are supposed to find out what happened to his former frat members. In the end I found myself questioning my own college experience and wondering if my fellow classmates would come to similar fates. All in all an interesting performance.

Kaitlyn Kriss

Icarus

Rob Gee—MTYP – Mainstage

Playing to an almost sold out opening night crowd, this UK performer triumphs again! We fell in love with this artist many years ago and would not miss the experience – ever. His plays always touch on mental illness due to his long stint as a psychiatric nurse; so he knows the subject intimately. What is so endearing is his unique ability to handle the subject with humour and tenderness. He weaves the hilarious tale of mental in-patient Simon and his exploits both inside, and most entertainingly, outside the loony bin. He enriches the story by introducing the characters of a neglected six year old girl and her alcoholic , widowed father. He wraps up this masterfully crafted story with everyone coming out a winner, even if in mind only. In speaking to Rob post-show, he pronounced this his best ever, and I agree. His book , available after the show, lets you take a piece of him home; to chuckle over at your own pace. A wonderful evening at the Fringe!

Lisa Campbell

The Companion

Dark Horse Theatre —Onstage at Pantages

In a dystopian near future, Owen nears the end of 10-years of solitary confinement for a “crime” that in today’s world probably would have resulted in a suspended sentence with the help of a reasonably
skilled lawyer. Despite this draconian sentencing system, the warden assigns him a “companion” to mitigate the effects of years of solitude broken only by occasional visits from a psychologist and almost constant intrusions from a slightly off-kilter prison guard.

On opening night the cast acquitted themselves well but were a bit tentative at times. More familiarity with the space should solve that problem. I was particularly impressed with Sami Desiree’s performance as Alexis, although I would have to give too much away to say why.

I will say that as the program says, the play explores what it means to be human, and some characters, whether through performance choices or writing, seemed less than human. Although I found this to be an enjoyable and intriguing piece of theatre, one choice that bothered me was that often when the
characters were in an earnest conversation, the speaker would face the audience instead of the person he or she was addressing. They therefore seemed to be making speeches instead of interacting.

Playwright Mike Seccombe has created an interesting world and given his characters some vital issues to confront. I found some details of this world difficult to integrate, but not so much that I lost contact with the main characters. I look forward to his next effort.

Kevin Longfield

A Walk with Raven and Coyote: Stories of Transformation

Urban Indigenous Theatre Company—Onstage at Pantages

This journey takes me back to university—not undergrad where you study and test, but grad school where you talk theory and apply practical world uses. The group sits in a semicircle, similar to a seminar class, and relates the theme of the day. This show’s theme treks through personal growth, enlightenment and actualisation (transformation) on a micro-individual level, and on a macro-world impact level.

Participants relate the theory of how things are, how they should be, how they affect the self and finally, how they affect the world. Don’t like the spotlight and don’t want to participate? No problem—sit in the back and learn as everyone travels with Raven and Coyote through development, evolution and enlightenment of the people and the land.

Ray Yuen

WTF are Kale Chips?!

WTFunk Productions—MTC Up the Alley

Not quite a full house but there were lots of bodies—and most of them stood for the ovation. This was a good show but not an on-your-feet, roaring, whistling and clapping wildly kind of show, as the audience would have you believe.

Funk relates the challenges and pressures that face preteen, teenage and adult women as they progress through life. The output is sadness. It’s sad what our society hurls at women and girls as expectations and norms. The breaking of a girl’s innocence and self-esteem should feel gutful and heartbreaking. Although Funk’s acting is competent, she doesn’t pull at the heartstrings like a touching emotional journey should. I empathise with the story but she doesn’t make me hold back tears.

Funk delivers lively and active stand-up comedy. Unfortunately, the gags just aren’t very funny. People snicker in the stands but there’s no hint of gut-tightening laughs.

Overall, you get a good effort, but alas, it’s not a great effort.

Ray Yuen

Tipped & Tipsy

Jill Vice—MTC Up the Alley

This show is a combination of a main story about a bartender named Candy, a group of regulars and the bar owner Rico, interwoven with some comedic sketches about drinking and the service industry. Jill Vice becomes each of the characters by using different accents and mannerisms and you can easily distinguish them all. I found myself not enjoying the story parts as much, probably because a couple of the characters are really unlikable. I much preferred the sketches as they were well crafted and executed.

To be fair, I was at the opening show which was last call on a rainy Wednesday night which kind of lowered the energy in the room.

Murray Hunter

Flaps of Steel

The Dirrty Show—School of Contemporary Dancers

While waiting for the show to start, the pregame music gives you an indication of things to come. The catchy, off-the-wall tracks keep you giggling and tapping your feet at the same time. Right until curtain time, I played and replayed “welcome to my fungal jungle” in my head. For the faint of heart, the seating songs are mostly tame for what’s to come.

Their messages slap you in the face like—well—steel flaps. By all means, people should embrace the lessons: enjoy your sexuality, be not afraid of your body parts, express your desires, and live life for pleasure. Unfortunately, the messages do not come with a cogent story or any sort of logical development. There’s not enough humour to be a comedy act and too much dialogue to be a musical. The result gives the audience a fractured mishmash of acts.

On the bright side, the performers are accomplished musicians who cradle you with fine tunes, good vocals and bold lyrics. This is an enjoyable show—I just wish that there’s more meaning to it.

Ray Yuen