Several of the shows I took in this year were hosted at BYOVs, but only one that we visited was far-flung from the Old Strathcona stratosphere, at the Stanley Milner Library. Though I do enjoy immersing myself in the festivities of the Fringe grounds, on a weeknight when we only had enough time or energy to take in one show, I really appreciated being able to have dinner at home, walk to the venue, and walk back, without having to transcend the crowds. I had to wonder if those who live in Oliver or on Alberta Avenue felt the same way about their neighbourhood BYOVs. I know it’s a train of thought engendered as a result of where we live, but if this trend of BYOV expansion continues, it’d be neat to see BYOV “districts” spring up, so that patrons wouldn’t necessarily have to leave Old Strathcona for just one or two shows. If they could base an evening or a day in that area, perhaps it would be win-win for everyone.

Sustainival

Sustainival was a new to the Fringe this year, carnival rides powered by used vegetable oil. I’m a sucker for amusements, so I was looking forward to taking this part of the festival in as well. I wasn’t sure how successful it was, as there never seemed to be that many people in line. From his remarks, Sustainival CEO Joey Hundert seemed happy with the response (25,000 rides sold), so perhaps a steady stream was all that could be expected from a sideshow that was new to everyone.

Mack and I rode the Tornado and the Ferris wheel (of course), and we definitely appreciated the lack of line-ups. From up above, however, Sustainival definitely seemed like a world of its own, not yet integrated into the Fringe world.

The Food

I felt like we bought and ate more food on the grounds that we have in past years – and like the plays we watched, some meals were better than others. My favourite was again Zaika – the mango chicken ($10) provided a healthy portion that wasn’t overly spicy or sweet, and a samosa with a crisp-perfect texture.

Mango chicken with rice and a samosa

The Nomad Kitchen was a disappointment, after hearing many good things about it. Service was poor: Jill and I weren’t acknowledged for several minutes, and when we were finally able to order the North African grill ($12), I received an incomplete dish (it wasn’t dressed with bean spouts, cilantro, or their signature sauce).

North African grill with tofu

Mack was similarly disappointed by his banana crepe ($6) from Crepes-Mania. The crepe itself was good, but they used green bananas so hard and tasteless he had to pick them out.

Banana crepe

Mini doughnuts are an annual tradition for us, and did (hurrah!) hit the spot.

Mini doughnuts

Some of the best food at the Fringe ended up being at sit-down restaurants. We had time in between performances one night, and trekked over to Route 99 to revel in our usual order of poutine and pizza.

Poutine! Pizza!

On another day, we lunched in a gloriously quiet Packrat Louie – a little pricey for a lunch at the Fringe, but a good trade-off for solace.

Spicy Hawaiian flatbread and Halibut ‘n Chips

The Plays

For the first time in recent memory, the balance of the dozen plays I watched this year tipped on the poor end of the scale. Two in particular I really didn’t care for, while a few others rounded out the middle. As I’ve said in the past, however, that usually makes me appreciate the ones I did enjoy all that much more.

• Eco-Confessional: Just before walking into Eco-Confessional, Jill was scanning the Journal review of the play which noted how awkward and unrehearsed Mark Leiren-Young was. As such, we braced ourselves for the worst, but were both pleasantly surprised. Sure, Leiren-Young was far from polished (referring to his script now and then, or re-treading lines), even leaning into clumsy (acknowledging coughs and other noises from the audience), but because he weaved in an explanation of why he was the unlikeliest of performers, it all became a little endearing. The message of this show, which illustrated why “perfect is the enemy of the good” in the green movement, really resonated with me, but Leiren-Young also delivered his story with such passion and heart that it was easy to get swept up in his cause.
• The Slipknot: I look forward to TJ Dawe every year, and he rarely disappoints. The Slipknot was the play that “catapulted” Dawe to fame a decade ago, the one that I never had the chance to see…until this year. Though it didn’t have the depth of Totem Figures, the show was every bit as witty as I expected, with amusing social commentary and observations throughout his tale of dead-end employment. I am always amazed at Dawe’s fast-talking ways, and his masterful ability to weave and connect seemingly parallel stories.
• Mothership Down: Marty Chan’s Mothership Down, a play about Alberta’s Conservative dynasty and Canada’s political system, was presented in the form of a TED Talk. It was a vehicle I’d never seen used before, and alongside it, PowerPoint that had a hilariously omniscient presence and often, wielded clever punch lines. Frenetic, but at times poignant, it was very much a well-balanced play, with a lot owed to actor Taylor Chadwick, who did a fantastic job. It also featured Mack’s favourite ending of all the shows we watched, involving a pie and a victim we did not at all anticipate.
• Little Room: The Slip-Knot did for TJ Dawe what Little Room did for Jon Lachlan Stewart – a play that made him a “household name” at the Fringe. It was another play I didn’t see when it debuted seven years ago, so I made sure to seize the opportunity this year. Intense and challenging, the semi-autobiographical show demanded much of Lachlan Stewart, who played different several characters with ease, and with three benches, transformed the stage into everything from a playground to a shopping complex. It was a coming-of-age story, but told with such raw honesty that even now, days later, I’m still haunted by the turn of events.

As a whole, I had a great time at this year’s Fringe, and as always, can’t wait for the next installment. Congratulations to the organizers, artists and volunteers for such a successful festival. Here’s hoping for 30 more years to come!

Two Buck Chuck (Seriously. Wine for $2 a bottle in North America?)

Consumer warning labels in stores (how’s that for awareness?)

Scramble crosswalks (coming soon to Edmonton)

Something else we loved? Sleeping in. We decided to give ourselves the benefit of a late start on day 5, as we felt recovery was in order after two consecutive early mornings.

The day as a whole was a lazy one – without any concrete plans besides a dinner reservation and a late show, it felt freeing to be able to wander without direction. So after grabbing a coffee from Peet’s, we spent the morning shopping at Union Square.

Union Square

It was easy to get used to that kind of shopping experience – stores densely packed together, all accessible from street-level, with crosswalks at every block. Sure, some of the stores we visited have locations in Edmonton also, but only locked inside a mall or car-driven complex.

Pedestrian-friendly shopping

We eventually walked over to the Yerba Buena Gardens, which, on first glance, appeared to be the city’s outdoor bedroom. We lost count of the number of people idling on the grass, enjoying the shade and the soothing sound of the water features.

Yerba Buena Gardens

Waterfall

I had read about there being a century old carousel at the Gardens, and, like my giddy stint at the Musee, I couldn’t pass up a visit.

Carousel!

Mack initially wasn’t as keen on reverting back to his childhood, but even he enjoyed circling the wooden animals to select his steed. And at only $3 for two rides, it was well worth it!

Whee!

Mack gets in the spirit of things

I knew we were near ‘Witchcraft, one of Tom Collichio’s casual sandwich outposts, and given we were to later dine at another restaurant connected to the Top Chef series, it just seemed fitting to stop there for lunch.

Interior

At 2pm, we found the restaurant nearly empty – perhaps we just missed the lunch rush? ‘Witchcraft wasn’t in the most inspiring location (it faces a parkade), but the interior definitely tried to make up for it. We loved the floor-to-ceiling windows, the second floor loft-style seating, and the stylish prints featuring antique kitchen equipment.

Mack

From what I had read about the restaurant though, I really thought the menu would grab me. But somehow, the sandwich combinations didn’t excite me at all. I ended up with the grilled cheese sandwich and soup of the day, while Mack chose the BLT. Our lunch for two (with one drink) cost $23.

My grilled cheese was good (solid bread foundation, nice combination of cheeses), but the soup was better (great texture and depth). Mack liked the BLT well enough (especially the bacon), but thought the tomato overpowered everything.

Grilled cheese and soup

BLT

The side of Tim’s Chips ended up being our favourite part of the meal – kettle-style, they were just the right thickness to offer both a satisfying crunch and a rounded flavour from the frying oil. Best of all, they didn’t have any additives.

Tim’s Chips

It’s something to be said when the package of chips stands out the most – so all told, ‘Witchcraft was a bit underwhelming for both of us.

A brief sojourn back to the hotel had us ready for our trip’s most anticipated meal. While watching the second season of Top Chef Masters, both Mack and I fell head over heels for Chef Hubert Keller. His personality and modest nature outshone his competitors: where others put ego first, Chef Keller always seemed to let his food speak for itself. So we knew a visit to SF wouldn’t be complete without reservations to Fleur de Lys.

The restaurant was just a ten minute walk from our hotel, allowing us to build up an appetite for the multi-course meal. When we arrived, we were whisked inside a sumptuous room, lined with curtains and complete with a tented ceiling. Most of the tables were arranged like streetside Parisian cafes – facing inwards instead of towards one another. It really felt like we had stepped into another world.

Unlike our experience at Gramercy Tavern in New York a few years back, when I was afraid to even take out my camera, it didn’t seem out of place at Fleur de Lys. Most of the diners were our age, and nearly all of them were snapping pictures of their experience. Also, through the curtains, I spotted a television set tuned to Food Network – of all shows, Top Chef Masters was on!

We chose the $82/person 4 course meal, which of course, with wine, was much more than that. Given that we were provided with several options for each course (starter, seafood, meat, dessert), the price seemed reasonable.

The vegetable ragout with truffle oil was a bit underwhelming to me, though the egg was poached very nicely. Mack enjoyed his Maryland soft shell crab, but had a bit of trouble determining how best to eat it, given the crab had been deep fried whole.

Vegetable ragout

Maryland soft shell crab

My salmon (sustainably raised, of course) was well cooked, and I loved the accompanying broccolini. The dish also marked my first ever encounter with porcini flan, and I have to say, I quite enjoyed the savoury version. Mack’s dish of prawns ended up being just a singular prawn, albeit one that was pretty tasty, and one that he enjoyed more as it was served alongside pork belly.

Sustainably raised salmon

Wild jumbo prawn with brioche crust

The duck, moist as ever, was a play on duck l’orange, served with fresh orange segments. I wasn’t a fan of the spetzle though – they were bland. Mack equally enjoyed his filet mignon, though not surprisingly, he devoured the lobster truffled mac & cheese (stuffed into a brioche bun!) first.

Muscovy duck breast, grenadine pickled onions

Seared filet mignon

We both absolutely adored the dessert course. My chocolate souffle was easily worth the additional $6 charge, light and fluffy on top with a satisfying and rich centre. Mack’s plate was a whimsical play on burger, fries and shake, with slices of kiwi standing in for pickles.

Chocolate souffle

Fleurburger

The restaurant saved the best part for last – towards the end of our meal, Chef Keller came out to meet all the diners! I’m pretty sure everyone in the room knew who he was, but he still made sure to introduce himself at each table, “Hello, I’m the chef here”. Mack didn’t want to wash his hands afterwards. #fanboy

With Chef Keller

Our dinner at Fleur de Lys was a memorable experience, though only partially because of the food. We were so happy to have met Chef Keller!

We didn’t plan it that way, but the 19^th annual San Francisco Fringe Festival happened to be running the same week we were there. Of course, we had to take in at least one show.

The fact that Edmonton is the home of the second largest Fringe Festival in the world is so often bandied about that I think Edmontonians take it for granted. At least, I know I do. So it was a shock to me that San Francisco, an enviable city in so many ways, could not even hold a candle to our fabulous theatre festival.

With just three venues and a total of 42 shows, the scale of the SF Fringe was much, much smaller than Edmonton’s Fringe. Show times were also confined to evenings on weekdays and the venues weren’t clearly marked. It also probably didn’t help that their theatre district was in the shadiest part of the city that we’d come across thus far (the aforementioned neighbourhood that we were warned by hotel staff not to walk through).

The biggest difference, however, was the lack of a festival atmosphere. The festival grounds are one of the biggest reasons Edmonton’s Fringe is the place to be in August. The buskers, the food, the music and the activities are all such an integral part of the Fringe now that it is difficult to consider what it would be like without it.

We chose Star Crossed Love based on the description on the website, and had pre-purchased our tickets online (just in case). There really was no need – granted, it was a 10:30pm show on a Thursday night, but for a supposed “pick of the Fringe”, the dozen people in the audience was disappointing, to say the least.

Star Crossed Love

The premise of the theatre company is the showcase of badly written scripts. That is to say, all of their productions are culled from rejected Hollywood screenplays, performed on stage verbatim. For example, any time a character nodded, the actors would nod in exaggerated fashion. As you can guess, some of the actions got old fast, but others, including “lovers a long time” (where the couple looked to be bored of one another) were amusing.

The script itself was indeed awful – an over-the-top, implausible, rags-to-riches tale where the heroine ends the show up on stage, accepting an Oscar. But wasn’t as funny as it could have been, and for that reason, wasn’t that entertaining. We did want to commend the actors though – they really committed to the roles, and tried their best to wring every bit of unintentional humour from it.

We made our way back through the Tenderloin and retired to our hotel for the night. On to the next day!

When Mack won tickets to The Three Musketeers at the Citadel, I was excited for the promise of stage duelling. We watched it on Sunday, and I am happy to say it didn’t disappoint on the action front. There was so much going on in the first grand fight sequence that it was difficult to keep up with the individual battles – though I suppose that wasn’t really the point. The spectacle of it all was exhilarating, and combined with the lavish costumes and props, definitely a crowd pleaser.

But given the running time of the show was nearly three hours, how the story unfolded became that much more important – the fight scenes couldn’t be the means to the end. I have to say that I wasn’t ultimately that engaged with D’Artagnan’s rise to musketeer status (though Eric Morin did a fine job emanating a nervous energy befitting of the character). My favourite scene was surprisingly one of the quieter moments in the production, when Athos (Kris Joseph) disclosed of his past heartbreak to D’Artagnan. I was actually hoping for more of such exchanges between the would-be musketeer and his mentors – his swift acceptance into the “all for one” trio seemed too expedient.

Tom Wood, who adapted the show, did take liberalities with the ending, understandable because of the production’s family friendly nature. Of his changes, I particularly enjoyed the final confrontation between Athos and Milady de Winter (Melissa MacPherson), which resulted in a much more dramatic, intense end than in Dumas’ original, complete with a resounding flash in the darkness. MacPherson, I should note, was delightfully evil, so much so that I had flashbacks to her equally solid performance as Lady Macbeth at the Freewill Shakespeare Festival last year.

Overall, it was a fun production that lived up to my expectations. The Three Musketeers runs until April 24, 2011.

This darkly romantic musical, set amid the buttresses and shadows of Notre Dame Cathedral, is a surprising new take on Victor Hugo’s famous story. A tormented priest, a beautiful dancer and the deformed bell ringer Quasimodo, are swept up in a vortex of lust, fear and the desire to control destiny that ultimately destroys them all.

It was also the first Catalyst production to host live musicians, which definitely seemed to fit the grand landscape of the epic story.

The set, while seemingly utilitarian at first glance, was a versatile wonder. With the help of deft lighting design, the steel tripods were transformed from the soaring towers of Notre Dame to the cavernous dungeons underneath. I also particularly liked the scene where Quasimodo introduced his ringing charges to La Esmeralda – the two-dimensional drop-downs meant the focus remained on his verbal adoration of the bells, and of course, on their resonance. The costumes were similarly eye-catching – notably, Quasimodo’s skeletal, wired hump and La Esmeralda’s fall from grace epitomized by the trade of her shimmering tulle skirt for a haunting white gown.

Compared to Frankenstein and Nevermore, Hunchback was not based around a central pillar, and in fact, the titular Quasimodo was actually a secondary figure to La Esmeralda and Claude Frollo. For that reason, I was left wanting to learn more about Frollo’s back story – it seemed that  La Esmeralda was likely a catalyst and not the cause of his surfacing flaws.

The two actors that had me transfixed were Jeremy Bauming, as the tale’s narrator, and Ava Jane Markus, as La Esmeralda. Bauming extolled the rhythms of Christenson’s language as if they were song (his effortless delivery of the passing of a “liquid afternoon”  was magical). Markus was taxed with the weight of being a hub of lust for two men, and the saviour of one. She handled it with grace and beauty.

The musical numbers, while bolstered by the live musicians, weren’t as memorable as those in the other two shows; not one of the songs remained with us after curtain. As a result, Mack and I remained true to our favourite Catalyst productions – he to Nevermore and I to Frankenstein.

Still, because of the highly stylized shows that are Christenson and Gerecke’s trademark, Hunchback is worth seeing. I don’t know when it might run again, but if you missed it, be sure to jump at the next opportunity.

I was lucky enough to be given two tickets to this year’s fair, which ended up being a blessing of sorts. Due to a prior volunteer commitment, I wasn’t able to meet up with May until the last hour of the event, which, though unfortunate, still meant we could get a taste of what the California Wine Fair was all about.

Walking into Hall D at the Shaw Conference Centre was a bit overwhelming. Sure, there weren’t three hundred vendors (most booths were pouring several different bottles), but the fair still presented a veritable sea of wines to try. The crowd was diverse, but was definitely younger than I expected – a majority consisted of that “next gen” set.

Given our time limitations, May and I opted to be selective with our sampling choices, opting for varieties that we knew we would enjoy – namely, rosés and dessert wines.

We love rosés!

We ended up only trying about ten different wines. Our top three: the Woodbridge by Robert Mondavi Moscato (no surprise, given the Moscato was our favourite from a wine tasting at Vinomania); the sweet nectar also known as Deviation by Quady; and the Classic Brut from Domaine Chandon. I was particularly tickled to see Domaine Chandon represented – Mack and I had the pleasure of touring their winery in Napa when we were down in San Francisco last fall.

Domaine Chandon

We observed that there weren’t as many rosés as we would have expected, though we acknowledged the season and the fact that they are meant for more uncomplicated palates. Also, it was somewhat surprising that some wines being sampled weren’t (yet) available in Edmonton liquor stores. Of course, a room full of wine enthusiasts provides a great opportunity to introduce new patrons to a brand in the hopes they may look for it in the future.

After attending the appetizer tasting and wine preview, it was neat to be able to see which the planning committee ended up choosing. Like me, May enjoyed the goat cheese sphere with caramelized onions marmalade most of all. The cheese plate and the chocolate truffles were much appreciated (in pairing with our wines and preventing the alcohol from going straight to our heads), but a hearty meal would have been the ideal proactive move.

The jerk chicken and mango chutney in a tortilla cup and roasted shallot, spinach and feta cheese tartlet were good too!

At the end of the night, May and I agreed that we would attend the California Wine Fair next year. For the food, atmosphere and of course, the wine, it would be well worth the $65 ticket. Especially if one were to be on time.

Thanks again to the Citadel for the chance to check it out! See you in 2012!

This show will be the introductory production for many to the work of Leif Oleson-Cormack, though he has also written shows for the New Works and Fringe Festivals. That said, Meat Puppet’s dark nature, exploring the motivations behind a fictional television program similar to NBC’s much-maligned series To Catch a Predator, is a departure from his previous two Edmonton shows. Meat Puppet is billed as a comedy, however, so I still expected it to highlight Leif’s wit and penchant for snappy dialogue.

The banter was enjoyable, particularly between the show’s host, Chuck Dalmer (John Hudson) and his plucky producer Deb (April Banigan). On the other hand, the tone of the play was perplexing – it tried to straddle the line between comedy and drama, but probably would have been more successful if it had chosen one or the other. I suppose for me, anyway, shows like To Catch a Predator always seemed to lure viewers with a morbid curiosity, rather than those looking for a cheap laugh – so the downfall of the “predators”  always seemed more tragic than funny.

I did like the connection of this kind of train wreck journalism with the internet sensationalism that continues to gain momentum today, however – it might be even more dangerous than television because of its instantaneity and ease to be shared.

If anything, Meat Puppet was a thought-provoking play, especially in this age of reality programming, where producers and editors can manipulate – and sometimes create – the “truth”.

Meat Puppet runs at the Varscona Theatre until February 6, 2011.

Operation EVAsion is based on the bizarre but factual account of the multiple disappearances of the corpse of Eva Perón. Upon her untimely death at age 33, her body was embalmed to the point of immortalization. Additionally, there were several duplicates made of her corpse, and in the ensuing Argentinean political turmoil, they all disappeared. Their journey lasted for 24 years and involved espionage, kidnapping, murder and astrology.

Mack and I took in the last performance on Sunday at the Timms Centre.

With such rich material to start with, I was curious to see how the company would present the story, particularly as a one-woman show (to be fair, musician Jason Kodie was also on stage, providing a auditory accompaniment in the form of an accordion). The set was black, save for a multimedia screen, ensuring the audience was transfixed on the sole performer. Annie Dugan recounted the body’s journey – through Argentina, Europe, and back – interspersing the narrative with Evita’s own words (in Spanish, with an English translation projected behind her). Evita’s corpse was wielded as a political weapon, used to maintain or regain power, or perhaps even more compelling, was the fact that after her death, she was able to affect her country’s politics (particularly among the poor, her image is still common in Argentina, often hung right next to the Virgin Mary). I did learn a lot (prior to this, the extent of my knowledge of Evita was the song “Don’t Cry for Me Argentina”, popularized by Madonna), but I was hoping for more interpretation, and less historical fact.

Of course, as Firefly Theatre is synonymous with aerial performances, we were looking forward to seeing how they would use movement and height. Because our only previous encounter with Firefly was their stunning, explosive display at the RISE Awards, we were unfairly expecting something similar. That said, Dugan’s restrained perimeter better matched the tone of the play, and garnered much respect – it can’t be easy delivering an hour long performance suspended several feet in the air – something she did with poise and grace. It was an ideal visual – representing the limbo status of the corpse and Evita’s elevated stature. The white fabric that suspended her was also particularly effective in parts – when used as a screen for Evita’s visage, projected next to Dugan’s own face, and as a cocoon with eerie resemblance to mummified remains.

We left the theatre with a desire to learn more about Evita (the starting place: Wikipedia, heh), and an interest to see what else Firefly Theatre might have to offer. As promised by the Canoe Festival, it was indeed an interesting performance.

Homeless is a deeply honest play, chronicling Jeremy Bauming’s journey as he struggled to understand those that do not have a place to call home. It was a journey that inspired him to take on a position at the George Spady Centre, an overnight shelter in Edmonton that focuses on harm reduction, and will, unlike other shelters, accept clients who are intoxicated or high.

In expressing his own history and experiences that led to his personal misunderstanding and fear of the homeless population, he shines a light on the greater societal prejudice that exists. At the Spady, Jeremy encountered many memorable clients, each with their own wrenching story of trauma, abuse and pain.

Bauming doesn’t try to neatly tie up loose ends with a happy ending – more befitting of the reality faced by the homeless, given the complexity of the challenges that may include mental health and addictions. That said, I felt more hopeful than helpless at the play’s conclusion, buoyed by the strength of the clients Jeremy described, people who are able to make it through another day in spite of unspeakable hardship. The audience was silent – the emotion was palpable, and there were more than a few tears in the audience.

Following the play was a panel discussion, featuring a few members in our community supporting those on the streets as well as those working towards ending homelessness. What stayed with me was a comment by Julian Daly, Executive Director of Boyle Street Community Services, who talked about the negative perceptions of homeless people, resulting in a push for segregation, a NIMBY-ism, their exclusion from public spaces: “There is a silent apartheid in Edmonton.”

Especially on days like today – think about our neighbours, and what it might be like not to have a warm home to return to at the end of the day.

“A young woman suffering from night terrors and sleepwalking is drawn into a tender romance with the young man living above her. But how does he know her so well?”

There was a sizable crowd on hand – some of it was undoubtedly due to the show’s buzz (and stellar timing – its billing as a psychological thriller perfect for those seeking a Halloween fright), but many others had taken advantage of a fantastic Groupon deal offered earlier in the month – a discount of over 50% for a pair of tickets, and a choice of several dates to boot. The clerk shared that they sold nearly 400 tickets via Groupon – and it sounds like other theatre companies will be utilizing this vehicle to encourage the public to take a chance on their productions as well.

Both Hahn (as Anna) and Arnold (as Patrick) were fantastic – Arnold especially so, balancing between his roles as the charming caretaker and haunting neighbour. Patrick’s deception was a reminder about the fine line between manipulation and perceived connection when it comes to trust and love. My only disappointment was their climactic confrontation – although intense and emotionally fraught, I didn’t believe that Anna would actually follow-through on her threat (Mack, however, disagrees with me on this).

While it is fantastic that the show played to such a large audience, I couldn’t help but think Any Night was meant to be performed in a more intimate venue, where Anna’s feelings of panic and paranoia would become even more heightened in a smaller space (The Bone House, though a very different type of production, worked so well for that reason). Still – I did like the set (curtains that appeared sheer, yet could harbour shadows) and the lighting (the green used to suggest Patrick’s screens managed to evoke a sickening revulsion).

Any Night was an entertaining way to get our Halloween chills, and a great opportunity to watch a couple actors I haven’t seen in many years.

Check out the rest of Fringe Theatre Adventure’s upcoming season here.

Outdoor mainstage

The Fringe should be commended for their green initiatives this year – we watched as Green Team volunteers sorted through the trash for organic material to compost

Mack and I at the Parlour photo booth

I would be lying if I said this Fringe won’t be memorable for a reason entirely unrelated to the festival. That said, I haven’t overlooked the fabulous productions we were fortunate enough to catch during We’ll Show You Ours:

• The Lime Tree Bower still lingers in my memory because it reminded me that the core of theatre is storytelling. Vincent Forcier, Jon Lachlan Stewart and Cody Porter were seamless in their delivery, fully embodying the characters, Irish accents unwavering. I was swept up by the vivid language, rich descriptions that nourished my imagination, transforming the immediate setting of a family-owned pub into a shadowy graveyard, a college auditorium, an inhospitable bar. It was also a great choice to have the characters subtly interact and respond to one another during each of their monologues – it added a laid-back air that made the production such a treat to watch. Moreover, I was happy to be finally be able to see the much-buzzed about Lachlan Stewart in action, who lived up to every expectation.
• There is no one like TJ Dawe. If you haven’t yet watched this master at work, weaving personal experiences into relatable, thought-provoking anecdotes all while demonstrating his incredible skill with the rhythms of the English language – remember his name for next year. While I didn’t take to Lucky 9 as much as last year’s Totem Figures, it’s difficult not to enjoy Dawe, whatever the content.
• The bar was set pretty darn high for BASH’d, with all of the accolades it has received, on top of the fact that the show had a successful off-Broadway run in New York two years ago. It cleared the bar with room to spare. I am still in awe of Chris Craddock and Nathan Cuckow – not only for their conviction and limitless energy (they barely stopped to breathe over the hour), but also for their ability to compellingly portray the heartbreaking tale of love and tragedy in a single hour.
• We picked David Belke’s The Crimson Yak for its plot mention of Coca Cola (and by golly, they even referred to it as Mack has in the past, as “the nectar of the gods”), but it turned out to be a good choice for a host of other reasons. The songs were as hilarious as they were catchy (“Crimson yaa-aa-aa-k”), and Karyn Mott absolutely stole the show as the wide-eyed, fanatical Dhara.

The Fringe turns thirty next year. You can bet it will be a huge party, just as it should be. See you there!