Also At The Fringe...

Jun 25, 2008 08:25

The only downside to being part of the Fringe Festival, is that it leaves me with less time to do my own fringing. And it's not the just the time constraints that are challenging. There's so much to choose from this year! Fellow Fringers have been raving about all but a few shows. Anyway, mine isn't a long list but here's what I've seen a loved so far:

Sorrow

A one woman show about the life and hard times of Clasina Maria Hoornik, also known as Sien. Sien was the mistress and muse of Vincent Van Gogh, thought that relationship is only a small part of this one-woman play. The writing is layered, complex and beautiful. The performance is riveting. Highly, highly recommended.

This Is A Play

Meta theatre at its quick and dirty best. Daniel McIver takes us inside the mind of three actors as they perform in a less than inspired play. The play within a play is hilarious...because it's bad. But the play we're watching is hilarious...because it's awesome! Endlessly quotable. I'm going back with DK tonight, just so he can understand my references.

Busty Rhymes with MC Hot Pink

A sort of mashup between stand-up comedy and spoken word poetry performed by fiesty kiwi actress Penny Ashton. There are some touching moments and poignant observations, but mostly it's just unadulterated fun. Girlfriend rocks the stage in a slightly bridesmaidish pink dress and heels. That really impressed me. I could never get through an hour on stage in heels.

Teaching the Fringe

During last year's Fringe Festival, brilliant one-man performer Keir Cutler managed to offend a woman in Winnipeg with his show Teaching As You Like It. She was so offended she contacted Manitoba Child Find services and wrote a scathing letter to the director of the Winnipeg Fringe. The letter was forwarded to Cutler and became the framework for his latest (perhaps greatest) show to date. The audience (or "pupils") learn about Cutler's various experiences as veteran Fringe performer. We also learn that the author of the letter is a dingbat. And we laugh almost non-stop. It's so good, that Keir Cutler may just be my new secret one-man, fringe show boyfriend. Eee!

And here's something funny that happened yesterday. Prior to our show yesterday, my friend mamalade gifted me with a t-shirt that says "Nobody knows I'm a thespian". Awesome! I wore after the show while I schmoozed with a few people outside our venue. Then I wore to the Fringe tent, where I had a veggie burger before returning home. Later in the evening, I returned for the aforementioned Keir Cutler show. And who should I meet but Keir Cutler. We introduce ourselves and then he looks a my shirt and says,

"Oh hey, I heard about your shirt."
"Where?" I ask
"At the Fringe tent. Some woman was talking about it and saying she didn't get it."
"Oh."
"Yeah and some other people tried to explain it to her. Then some other people...." and the story went on for some time like that.

It's funny that my t-shirt, worn for 20 minutes in public is now better known to the Ottawa Fringe community than I am.

fringe

Previous post Next post
Up