The Buzz – Reviews

AWOL

RibbitRePublic Theatre—The King’s Head Pub

The best comedy comes from putting ordinary people in extraordinary situations. AWOL takes two members of a care home and throws them into a metal festival, which goes surprisingly well. Despite an expansive cast with only two actors, the distinction between characters was perfectly clear and I was never confused. Nearly every bit hit, and even the ones that didn’t quite were still fun, due to the performers ability to work off each other so well. Equal parts funny and heartfelt, I was smiling the. whole time, which had very little to do with the long islands I was drinking.

Arden Pruden

Moms Moms Moms

DD Brassiere—PTE – Colin Jackson Studio

A person so overlooked, they had to name it thrice. These two moms (and a guest mom also appears) take to the stage with comedy, heart and a lil bit of good ol’ Manitoba nudity. No strangers to the stage, DD Brassiere and Your Mom Kathy offer maternal revelations and insights into motherhood. However, they also divulge some harsh realities as they guide the audience through their experiences as guardians. They share how both Moms found burlesque as an outlet and share some fun acts with the energetic crowd.

While some parts of the show could have been stitched together a bit tighter, these Moms do what Moms do best and persevere through some truly gripping and gut wrenching stories of maternal memories.

If this sounds up your alley, go visit your local Mom’s at PTE…who knows, you might even get a cookie!

Stephanie Adamov

The Mirror Sphere: The Sworn Protector

Kirkatures—John Hirsch Mainstage

I had to double-check that this was a local production and not an import from Wisconsin, such was the amount of cheese on display. But that’s okay; they know it and at times even lean into it. On the surface a somewhat cliched fantasy epic done as a sung-through musical – the program name-checks Tolkien and Nintendo’s Zelda series as major influences – there’s more than a few hints that the winking nods to the audience aren’t just comic relief and that the whole thing is going somewhere rather post-modern. True to its genre, it’s the first of a planned series, so we don’t get to find out for sure just yet. Some of the vocal performances could have been more assured, and it’s always a bit tricky to hear unamplified singing in this venue when there’s any kind of accompaniment, but the songs came through well enough that I heard other audience members singing them on the way out.

Jeff Heikkinen

The Get Laid* Show

The Other V Name Productions—Duke of Kent Legion

Unclassifiable? I’d agree. This is more of an experience than a show, but Veronica Ternopolski promises that if you don’t leave with a date, you’ll at least leave with some form of a connection with your fellow audience members. Everyone will leave with a high five. That’s a guarantee.

Unload some baggage as you impromptu meet and greet those sitting at your table at the Duke of Kent Legion. Maybe you’ll have a full house of witnesses as you go on a blind date? Who knows. Though the use of a binder was distracting, it did keep the show organized as the audience got to “choose their own adventure” as our cabaret-esque style host divulged some intimate and personal experiences of some good and bad eggs in her past and present.

If there are tickets still available, this show is a fun risk.

Stephanie Adamov

Later That Night

TBA Productions—John Hirsch Mainstage

What I felt was going to be a story of an outsider looking in, and maybe being accepted, became a mean-spirited elaborate prank with some of the most insufferable characters I could imagine. Plagued with tonal inconsistencies, and at times robotic writing, Later That Night left me wondering who this show was for. Was it meant to showcase that these actors are bad people? Was it meant to indicate that fame is more important than anything else? Was it meant to make you feel bad for Matt? If the last one is the case, it succeeded. The script could have used another pass, the performances could be tightened, and the message ultimately needed focus.

Arden Pruden

Rockin’ Bluebird

Melanie Gall Presents for Kids—Kids Venue: MTYP – Mainstage

With her signature bangs and ponytail, Melanie Gall’s passion for peacocks, pigeons and everything in between got a whole flock of future performers to put their screens down and rock about on stage. Watching the magic happen for the first time was a delight as her lyrical voice carried us through several engaging songs. One adapted performance of “Over the Rainbow” about a goose named Lucy that desperately wants to have colourful feathers was heart warming for children, adults and this proud auntie.

Whether it’s a chicken struggling to cross the road, or a Bluebird that thinks they’re a chicken, Gall keeps the audience’s addition with facts about our feathered friends. Keep your binoculars out and ready to spot her other shows this year at Fringe.

Stephanie Adamov

Cact-Us If You Can

Cactus Makes Perfect Improv Comedy—Son of Warehouse

Advertised as their debut Fringe show, this troupe has promise going forward. The execution however, could use some work. The foundation if the show, playing improv games with audience input, us a tried and true method when creating a show. It could have, however, done without individual explanations of every game. A little more prep, ironically, could have also done the troupe a lot of good, as at times it felt as though they weren’t certain how to go about what they set out to do. After some practice, learning to pick audience participation more carefully, and tightening, Cactus Makes Perfect could have something special in a few years.

Arden Pruden

A Lesbian in a Bear Store

Willow Roots Productions—The Rachel Browne Theatre

Queer content and 90s nostalgia? I am the peak demographic for this show. Known in the Winnipeg comedy scene, Willow Rosenberg who wrote and performs this one person autobiographical tale benefits from incorporating audience participation and ad-libbing. This is where she truly shines and casts a slight spell over the audience with a cheeky wink and a punchy topical reference.

However, the convention of using Beanie Babies can tend to get muddled in the tales of collections and the embrace of loss as she reflects on maternal conversations she had and wanted to have with her mother. May her memory be a blessing.

Cluttered concepts and a plethora of large topics to uncover, this ambitious venture had several moments spent getting “back on track” with the script. Had the play been more stand-up inclined, while going through the Beanies, their names and the poems attached to them, that might have cast the nostalgic veil needed.

That being said, the audience embraced Willow’s storytelling and clearly hit some relatable notes among them. Whether it was the discussion of chronic illness, horoscopes or Buffy, a millenial-heavy audience was receptive to Rosenberg’s humour and honesty.

Stephanie Adamov

Rob Teszka: Magic Dropout

Rob Teszka Magic—PTE – Colin Jackson Studio

Rob Teszka makes the astute decision to incorporate literal magic into his autobiographical tale of failure. Rather than presenting a mere series of tricks, he uses sleight-of-hand and light mentalism to punctuate his narrative of being a top high school student coming to realize academia wasn’t his true calling.

A key component of the show involves audience participants confronting their own failures, mirroring the central theme of Teszka’s story. Given his theme, more attention given to the specific moments of failure that affected him emotionally and drove his decisions might have heightened the storytelling aspect of the show. Since his personal journey is what makes this performance unique, sharpening that presentation rather than relying on traditional magician fare to impress his audience might make this performance truly magical.

Ashley Frantik

The Two Gentlemen of Verona

Indifferently Reformed—The Asper Centre for Theatre & Film (U of W)

This group of over 9 U of W students and alumni clearly understood the assignment. Embracing the text of one of Shakespeare’s earliest works, David and Dryden as directors lead the cast and audience on embracing the quirky humour of the Bard’s comedy. Indifferently Reformed as a production company outfitted the stage with large sheets of fabric and through the use of shadow executed several scenes/tableaus to wonderfully layer this humorous production.

The cadence and performances were never once clunky, but evidently the ensemble not only is familiar with the text, but created a kaleidoscope through their mastery of the poet’s nuances and tongue and cheek references, all under the setting of a country club.

Stephanie Adamov