Shadow Kingdom

The Wishes Mystical Puppet Company—Tom Hendry Warehouse

A lot of whimsical fun. I think that is the best way to describe Shadow Kingdom. Seri Yanai and Daniel Wishes are back with another great performance of their shadow puppet mastery. They always seem to create an amazing story that is entertaining and also visually spectacular.

This all ages show is fun for all.

Sorry Lizard Man (from Space Hippo) but my new favourite is DJ Slug.

Murray Hunter

CABARET SIDE SHOW

Wall Street Theatre—John Hirsch Mainstage

The show can ultimately be described as loosely connected song and dance numbers with many long time classics presented by a talented ensemble. With only a few hiccups, the show is well produced, and for anyone who would enjoy seeing “all that jazz” live and in person, this would be the perfect thing. As straightforward as anyone could hope for such a concept of a Cabaret song medley.

Josh Fidelak

Something in the Water

S.E. Grummett—MTC Up the Alley

Engaging, entertaining, essential and eminent.

Upon receiving the “souvenir” as I entered the theatre, I wondered what was going on. After all, this is Fringe where anything can happen. I went to shows where I ended up eating cake, drinking shooters, tasting ethnic food, and who knows what else. My immediate fear was that we’d all have to eat squid. I
hate squid. But wait! There must be vegans in the audience who would refuse to eat! I won’t be the only non-squid eater! On the other hand, I never want to be one of the people who don’t participate.
What’s going to happen?

The show started peacefully at the subject’s very origins, and soon took off with foot on the floor, zero to 100 in seconds. Before long, everyone fell into the societal expectation of normative polarisation. The high-energy takeoff resembles that of a rocket escaping the earth’s gravity, then after we broke free, calm and introspection set in. Turbulence and chaos speckled the remainder of the journey, until we finally landed, hopefully a little bit more aware, a little bit more engaged, and a lot more tolerant.

Although this run was fun from start to finish, it covered a lot of critical topics, sometimes seriously, often jestingly. While considering what to write here, I reran all of the issues that were brought forth and with no exaggeration, I could write an entire dissertation on what Grumms covered in this hour.

And I didn’t have to eat squid.

Ray Yuen

Josie & Grace

PKF Productions—PTE – Mainstage

Oh Josephine, oh Josephine, where art thou? Back in the Peg with another scintillating babe in tow. And we thank you! You heard it here first, Josephine will be a one off show on the 28, tix aren’t even printed.

This is what makes the Fringe so toe- tingling for me; when we are so very fortunate to get to experience theatre of this calibre for the cost of a burger. If this show doesn’t sell out, there’s something wrong with the Peg.

Ok, the show is, not Josephine, and that’s totally wonderful! I’m embarrassed to learn that Josephine Baker and Grace Kelly were actually friends! And the way this long relationship is portrayed, with the warmth, the struggles as circumstances change for them both, in different directions, in varying eras, is so real. I enjoyed this on two levels. The sheer feminine perfection in one place. And that would just be standing there. But add in the choreography, the Costumes, the talent, the perfect vocals, the charm, the warmth, and you would be a fool not to make this the one play you do treat yourself to this Fringe.

Tymisha Harris and Rachel Comeau are the epitome of 60’s style and beauty. I notice when an actor involves their whole body: feet, hands, face. Ms. Harris did a magnificent job of portraying Baker’s aging, (she was twenty years older than Kelly). You could see the falter in her gait, the tiredness, and the appropriate hair and clothing changes as she ages. That’s a professional.

Ok, the Costumes! I used to do this at MTC. I pay attention. The dresses were divine. Ms. Comeau has the perfect figure that best shows off those horrible, skin tight dresses of the 60’s whose line could be thrown off with an extra ounce. I have never seen anyone look so elegant as she did in the floral dress with the shortie sweater! OMG! Every scratchy, shiny, fake flouncy fabric of the era was displayed with elegance and aplomb by both beauties.

Ok, I’ve praised, now a few minor flaws. The voice over from Prince Rainier calls Baker a chantreuse. Is this a green singer? Chanteuse. Also, when Grace is dressed for the gala, she is peach perfection, from her apricot bouffant, to her slinky peach gown matching her golden complexion- then black shoes and a brown shawl? Princess Grace had ladies in waiting who would have said ”Perhaps not, Your Highness”. I certainly did. Cream or white shoes, and even no shawl would have made the effect stunning. There were numerous glorious costume changes, why this glaring mis-match?

This is the show I’m recommending to anyone I like.

Lisa Campbell

Movie Musicals

Move The S Productions—John Hirsch Mainstage

Oh gees, I wish I could have heard it. I missed half the gags because I couldn’t hear the words. Tip for the actors: face the audience when you sing, or even speak. You have good to great singing voices but you’re not opera singers. MTC Mainstage is a big theatre and your voices do not carry well, especially for those of us near the back.

It’s quite ironic since you laid out and often reiterated Rule #6: Project your voices!

I love to hammer Winnipeg, because frankly, I hate this city. Many people tell me to move—yeah, I’m working on it. When this troupe hammered this city with their excellent song, the crowd loved it; so did I. That was my favourite song of the show.

They delivered lots of catchy tunes, the kind that you expect from Broadway musicals (you know the sound). The costumes and props need some adjustment, but that’s what you expect from opening night. Actors: if you’re telling me to look at your buttholes, your buttholes should not move down to your knees!

To the tall guy in the third row from the back, just left of centre, who saw this show on Thursday, July 14
at 6:30 p.m.: when the announcement before the show starts says “turn your phones off,” they mean TURN YOUR GOD DAMN PHONE OFF! They do not mean silence it and look at it every 10 minutes. The glare from your phone is VERY annoying, especially for those sitting behind and beside you. If what’s on your phone is so entertaining, what are you doing here? Just get out and play with your phone—don’t ruin the experience for everyone else.

James & Jamesy: Right This Way

Alastair Knowles—PTE – Mainstage

This duo is well- beloved by Peg Fringers, as was evidenced by the very warm response to this new work; at a very late slot. They are known for their wildly popular, sellout ‘2 for Tea’. If you loved them in the past, you won’t want to miss this new show. And if you can avoid thinking “We come from France. .”, you are younger than me.

These two love and care about their work, and it shows. The pair’s outfits were so creative, and especially brilliant under fluorescent lighting. I’m not a clown fan, which I guess is my loss here. It being opening night of a new production, I feel this will only improve rapidly in the hands of these consummate pros. Grab a coupon for 20% off their Xmas productions of ‘O Christmas Tea’ while you are there.

Lisa Campbell

The Morning After With Pam & Paula

Power Pause Productions—MTC Up the Alley

It was almost a sell-out and by the time I got there, there weren’t many seats remaining. When you have a smaller venue like this one, and a (close to) packed house, you can feel the energy in the room. Plus, the music amped through the seating and the actors looked primed for action. This all led to huge expectation for an energy-filled, fast-moving, rip-roaring ride.

The show delivers on all those accounts, but the one facet it did not deliver on was a very important one: it wasn’t funny. Even with the large crowd—normally feeding into itself—the laughs were infrequent and not raucous. Yes, you have your few that laugh at everything, and often, those laughers are enough of a catalyst to get most of the people going. Today, it wasn’t. One particular audience member (and there’s always one) cackled at many of the situations but it wasn’t enough to get everyone else going. Sorry, but the substance just wasn’t there.

Ray Yuen

Chase Padgett: Lucky Break

Chase Padgett—PTE – Mainstage

Well first impressions not good. Not with our beloved Chase but with the audience! You love him; I can’t find a Fringer who doesn’t know him, you stood in line Twice to get in; and when he walked on stage after three years, crickets. I was the only one clapping. I was embarrassed. With an unknown, maybe I could understand, but there’s being reserved, and then there’s rude. Smarten up! Winnipeg audiences are supposed be theatre savvy. On another note, a standing ovation means it’s one of the best things you’ve ever seen, a special honour, not that you ‘liked it’. Theatre 101.

Thank you Chase for another heartfelt, engaging story. For your gorgeous, rich, resonate voice, your amazing guitar work, and being so relatable! I loved your story of how the pandemic affected you as an artist. We are hearing and feeling that too. I missed the Fringe and friends around the world and it killed my income too. WELCOME BACK!

Your experience with your mom was so real. It was a lucky break. We all have tricky family shit. Your ups and downs with the Alter Ego show was so well explained. What is fame and what does it cost came across well. When you said your ‘purpose’ was to be fringing, not scooped up by some bigwig in the sky, it warmed my heart. That’s why, despite being cucumbers, we ‘really do love you!

CDs available after this not to be missed show.

Lisa Campbell

FERN

Horse & Engine—The Rachel Browne Theatre

I really wanted to like this show. I have been an Ally for a long time and I want to do everything I can to be a supporter. Alas, I can’t say that I really get this performance. It’s a coming-of-age recount of a fern, its treatment (mistreatment) and the occurrences around it. Some of the metaphors are powerful but
some of them are a bit out of reach.

The dance has its moments but the most memorable segment involved the actors working themselves to exhaustion. It started off intriguing but then the repetition lost me. As far as I could count, there were eight moves that we repeated over and over again until the dancers were on the verge of collapse.
This was yesterday so my memory fades, but I remember a few of the moves that I named myself, in my head:

• The tug-of-war
• The wrestle grasp
• The push-off
• The shoulder-bump
• The butt-boost
• The push-aside, and
• The juke.

Does anyone know what the metaphors to this dance were? I’m very curious to know.

Ray Yuen

Stéphanie Morin Robert: BLACK EYE (a live comedy album recording)

Stephanie Morin-Robert Performance Society—PTE – Mainstage

Bienvenue chez nous, Stéphanie!

Total package for me! A dirty, witty, boundary pushing woman is always appreciated! Stéphanie is one half of the Fringe famous Merkin Sisters, whose shimmying, hairy images can never be erased from my favorite Fringe scenes in memory. Her former partner in puppetry is conveniently putting on Epidermis Circus next door.
Well, while she alludes that everything may not be ‘fact’; you can’t make up the situation of her performing at a glass eye salesperson conference, since she has one. Yes, while it’s unfortunately fact that she lost one eye due to retinal cancer at age two and a half; it certainly provides plenty of fodder as she shares her tale of Fringe romance, and not so romantic “he came in every hole I’ve got.” tales. I loved every word of the show, from childbirth (black eye explained there) to the life of being married to a fellow fringe performer (check out James and Jamesey in the same venue).

I loved hearing the weird sound of the audience gasping, choking, and chortling, all at the same time. You will too. One of my faves so far.

Lisa Campbell