Donating Sperm to My Sister’s Wife

Kelly Finnegan Productions—The King’s Head Pub

Just a superb, top- notch comedy show done in a folksy and warm manner. I love Kentuckian Stewart Huff’s accent. He’s one of the ‘good’ Mercians- anti Trump and anti hate. Definitely late night entertainment, though he didn’t achieve his dare to make patrons walk out. I always scan the room during shows and everyone was howling from start to finish. You can be one of them too.

Side note, the program picture needs to be updated Kelly. It’s been awhile since Stewart’s hair was that colour.

Lisa Campbell

Muse: an experiment in storytelling and life drawing

Cameryn Moore—MTC Up the Alley

Really didn’t know what to expect. My last exposure to fine arts was middle school, grade 9. It was at that time when it was determined that I have the artistic talent of an orangutan. I hoped there might be some instructions for us with artistic disabilities, but no such thing.

As I feared, you’re left on your own, medium in front of you and charcoal in your hand. To my horror, the person next to me brought their own materials and drew an audience member while we waited for the show to start. Damn, it looked professional—now I was doomed to have my debacle displayed next to their Degas.

As I suspected, my first rendition was truly hideous, with my subject looking more Yeti than human.
Surprisingly, each succeeding drawing was a marked improvement over the previous, except for the one where you were not permitted to look at your work!

By the last one, I was actually proud enough of my work that I took a photo of it! My fears were unfounded and no one cared what I produced, especially not the person next to me. I had loads of fun here and by the looks of it, so did everyone else in the room.

Ray Yuen

A Masters Advanced Class To Beginners Improv

SensibleChuckleTheatre—The Output at Video Pool Media Arts Centre

Three of the most untalented individuals struggle to find any kind of improv skills with help from their woefully frustrated teacher. This play reminded me of commedia dell’arte characters in how over the top and buffoonish they were. I cringed at moments but burst out laughing at some of the utterly ridiculous moments. The characters were overly simple at points but acted as a good foil to the zany teacher. Goofy and silly way to spend an hour.

Kaitlyn Kriss

Murder… IN THE FOURTH DEGREE!!!

H.A.N.D.—Alloway Hall – Manitoba Museum

Within your group of friends, do you have that one annoying person? The one that hangs out but no one really likes? The one you’d like to kill? What if you can get away with it?

Through the discovery of who actually did it, you get smatterings of song, fun and corniness.

Ray Yuen

The Elephant in the Room

Priyanka Shetty—Théâtre Cercle Molière

Priyanka takes us on her journey fighting against the norms of what she is expected to be doing and what she wants to do. The family and cultural pressures of India are shown as well as the story of how she was inspired to make the switch to a new career and ultimately move to the United States. She then delves into the cultural differences of life in America and how it was a lot more difficult than she expected.

A very poignant and professional performance that really captured the attention of the audience.

Murray Hunter

My Dad Isn’t Danny DeVito

Anthony DeVito—The Cinematheque

Weaving together stories of his personal and family dramas with stand-up comedy based on the wild situations in the lives he describes, New York comedian Anthony DeVito creates a very warm and welcoming environment for stories that might otherwise be too dark for comfort. Deeply touching on the images fathers leave behind in their absence, heavy topics and situations have their tension defused by well timed jokes and irreverent punchlines. For anyone who hasn’t read the show’s description in the program and thinks this show could be for them, I would highly recommend checking it out without researching further. There are aspects of his life story that, while useful to advertise a show in the competitive Fringe market, are better explored and discovered through the way the show carefully uncovers them.

Josh Fidelak

Little Shop of Horrors

The Dramatic Theatre Company—John Hirsch Mainstage

I’m sure most of you know the story already. This rendition is cute, corny and comical. There’s some good singing, some good acting, and an insane Audrey II that steals the show.

Obviously, a lot of effort and a lot of money went into this production. The fact that some of the choreography was off really bothered me. With the investment, this work should be absolutely flawless.

Ray Yuen

Clueless in ZA

Erik de Waal—Planetarium

Another beautifully written and performed original piece by Fringe favourite, Erik de Waal.

You know you are witnessing a true storyteller when you hear actual gasps from the audience as he relates the atrocities man inflicts on others during Apartheid. Erik shares his conflicting feelings of love and bewilderment for his home country of South Africa. Well worth taking in.

Lisa Campbell

Ingénue: Deanna Durbin, Judy Garland, and the Golden Age of Hollywood

Melanie Gall Presents (2)—MTYP – Mainstage

I thought the singing and acting was fantastic, the flow between music and scene was very smooth, and she transitioned with grace and ease. The only thing that took me out of the performance were the tech issues and a couple of flubbed lines, but she handled them like a champ and pulled through with a great performance.

Al Gilbert

Influenced

Theatre Enthused—Alloway Hall – Manitoba Museum

What do you do if you’re in the audience and you don’t want to be singled out? Avoid eye contact?
Nope, that’s like putting your hand up and yelling “pick me!”. Stare intently at the actor? Nope, that won’t work. Make shy, glancing eye contact? That’s probably your best bet. Heed this advice if you’re shy.

She is sometimes funny, sometimes whacky, sometimes deep and sometimes flippant. She has a lovely
set of pipes and I wish there would have been more singing. Most of all, she scares me. Fortunately, I like being scared.

Ray Yuen