SWEETNESS AND SCIENCE
SWEETHEARTS OF THE 49TH ★★★★ Stage 39, CKUA Performance Space
Three women stand in a Lethbridge radio station, singing and playing ukulele to the old gospel song, This Little Light of Mine. Lacey (Etta George House) and Joanne (Gianna Read- Skelton) are the daughters of the station owner, while Pixie (Madelaine Knight) is their lifelong friend. It’s 1943, and the trio are enjoying their moment on the airwaves when a stranger named Maxine (Michelle Diaz) walks into the old theatre that houses the small station, CRIK.
Since she’s of Japanese ancestry, and Canada is in the midst of the Second World War, this is a problem. Sweethearts of the 49th is many things: a warm tribute to ’40s vocal groups like The Andrews Sisters, a meditation on truth, and a reflection on friendship and community.
It’s also chock full of prewar and contemporary classics like What’ll I Do, Don’t Fence Me In, and Straighten Up & Fly Right, all sung with remarkable soul and fidelity by the leads.
Highly recommended, and well worth the trek off the main Fringe site. Tom Murray
THE GREAT BALANZO ★★★1/2 Stage 6, Strathcona Community League
The Charlie Chaplin-esque street performer The Great Balanzo has arrived in Canada with trunks full of curious objects. Clown and magician Aytahn Ross brings his outdoor circus act inside at the Kids Fringe for 45 minutes of giggling and wide-eyed amazement.
Adults will have seen most of these tricks before — staples like juggling, plate spinning, disappearing handkerchiefs, and careful feats of balance. There are no knives or flaming torches this time (because, kids), but the audience does get a more intimate look at magic techniques as Ross pulls back the curtain on some of his illusions.
Audience volunteer jobs are also tailored for kids, rather than the burly men in the crowd who can hold up a 100-pound unicycle. My eight-year-old son was enthralled by a water jug The Great Balanzo would apparently empty into a glass, only to find more water had appeared in the jug a few minutes later.
He also liked seeing Ross juggle “eggs” (possibly pingpong balls) using just his mouth, and the classic clown trick of pulling metres and metres of paper ribbon out of his mouth from seemingly nowhere.
The act isn’t as awing as you’ll see at some outdoor shows, but is good for little ones and out of the elements. Janet French
FOR SCIENCE! ★★★★★ Stage 3, Walterdale Playhouse
How many of you can pass by a roll of bubble wrap without having to pop it? Who among you can see a cup full of Lego perilously close to the edge of a counter and resist the urge to move it back to a safer spot, or worse, send it clattering to the floor? Who can avoid the Pavlovian response of ringing a bell for a treat? Better yet, who’s willing to do all of those, and more, in front of a packed house at the Walterdale, all for science? That is the simple, yet surprisingly entertaining, idea behind For Science!
Christine Lesiak, complete with “lab assistant” Anna Pratch, are ready to put the crowd through their paces, with nothing more than a whistle, a stopwatch a clicker and a PowerPoint. No words, but lots of action. All in the name of science, and a good time.
As Lesiak and Pratch, who bounce clown-like across the stage in lab coats and glasses, notepads at the ready, run the crowd through increasingly complex experiments (including Nerf guns, a pencil sharpener and PVC pipe), it’s fun to watch the volunteers from the crowd rush forward to take part. But it’s equally fun in the anticipation wondering WHO decides to take part.
And in the end, every participant is rewarded with a treat, like every good lab monkey. So, in the name of science and laughs, come out and take part. Dave Breakenridge
MACBETH MUET ★★★★★ Stage 9, Telus Phone Museum
Performing “That Scottish Play” with only two actors in 45 minutes is an impressive feat. Doing it without speaking a word is some sort of theatrical miracle. Theatre Surreal SoReal managed the unthinkable, pulling off one of the most imaginative renditions of the bard’s tragedy in the last 400 years.
Jeremie Francoeur and Clara Prevost take on the roles of MacBeth and Lady MacBeth, as well as every other role in the show. But they never jump into other roles; instead, they are represented by paper plates, whitepainted hockey gloves and a king of hearts playing card.
The story of treachery, betrayal and avarice plays out as expected. Our protagonist is taken in by a prophecy foretold by three witches, and is pushed along by a wife eager to take the throne.
What sets it apart is the fast pace, the hilarious gags and the creativity they show with their props. A warning for the first three rows, you may get covered in ripped-up paper plates or egg splatter. They were very careful in crushing those eggs, but just watch yourself. Better safe than covered in salmonella.
If you’re unfamiliar with the story of MacBeth, you may have a hard time following the action. Even then, just buckle up and enjoy the crazy antics. I promise you’ll have a blast in one of the best and most original renditions of “That Scottish Play” to hit the Fringe in a while. Justin Bell
HARUN ★★★★1/2 Stage 4, Academy at King Edward
As the city becomes increasingly diverse, some young Albertans are caught in an identity clash between their parents’ cultures and local customs.
The situation is particularly fraught for post-secondary student Aaron ( born Harun), a queer Arab, whose relationship with his mother fractured when she learned about his sexual orientation. Makram Ayache doubles as the playwright and title character in this In Arms Theatre Collective show.
When Harun’s mother (played by Amena Shehab) dies in a Lebanon bomb attack, he blames himself, and his boyfriend and friends feel helpless watching him descend into apparent madness. Harun is refreshingly political. It unapologetically slams a ghastly mirror to our faces, reflecting back racism, sexism, homophobia, white supremacy, pernicious stereotypes about Muslims, white fragility, and mistreatment of Indigenous peoples. The script is dense with analytical prose, and it’s easy to miss some of the careful wordsmithing. Harun’s internal dialogue is a titch overwrought, and could use a gentle edit for succinctness.
The six-member cast chanting their protests, then shape-shifting into Harun’s internal demons is intensified by Chris Pereira’s droning soundscapes.
Adding authenticity is Shehab as Harun’s mother, speaking Arabic most of the time, which other actors translate. The lighting ( by Caro Vanrensburg) is genius, as actors supplement stage lights with multi-coloured finger lights to set the scene — whirling blue and red for police cars, and glowing green and blue spots sliding down their throats when the friends drop acid at a party.
The peaceful conclusion made this cold-hearted reporter ugly cry. Maybe you will, too. Janet French
NONNA’S STORY ★ ★ Stage 3, Walterdale Theatre
Remembering where one comes from and who got them there is at the forefront of Antonio Bavaro’s story paying tribute to his grandmother. Now based in Montreal, Bavaro recalls his relationship with his nonna growing up and then living with her as an adult in Edmonton. He also tells of her early life immigrating to Canada from Italy and in doing so portrays several different roles including his nonna.
But the piece is not so much a play as it is a story being read to an audience with Bavaro holding a binder with his memories all written down. The story goes astray when Bavaro segues into another member of his family and has conversations with himself. There isn’t much of a plot, but it jumps around to several different moments where Bavaro reminisces about his grandmother including how she found out about his career as a drag queen.
The show’s backdrop includes a nice set with some prop pieces that originally belonged to his nonna, but the projections of old photos that display behind him are distracting and don’t flow well with his performance. The use of music is scattered and some technical difficulties had it skipping in the background while Bavaro spoke about his nonna’s funeral.
His last words, as Bavaro clutches his grandmother’s sweater, are the most profound. He shares that this story is to remind the audience that it’s important to remember who came before them and then sings in tribute to his grandmother who helped him get to this very moment. Dustin Cook