FRINGE FEST CATCHES FIRE
The 2016 PotashCorp Fringe Theatre and Street Festival kicked off Thursday evening and will run until Aug. 6. The festival features 33 indoor plays and outdoor entertainers along Broadway Avenue, which will be closed to traffic for the event.
HUBBY IN DISTRESS Victoria School Gym ★★½
Hubby in Distress starts in a land where men are brave and “the seats are always up.” Frank Strong needs to save his love Sally Feeble. If it sounds like a boring story, one of the onstage narrators agrees and quickly makes some changes to the script.
The narrators and characters edit the story as they go, a clever technique that makes way for comedy and, of course, a lesson or two. The hero and villain roles are reversed a few times, and the cast makes good use of a few simple props to tell the everchanging story.
Special mention should be given to F. David Schultz as the evil Charles Sneed, both for his projection and his over-the-top silliness. He shifts easily from strong to snivelling to sly as the narrators swipe their pens across the script.
The amateur theatre company works hard to capture the audience, including the adults (there’s a Bechdel Test joke that definitely goes over the kids’ heads) but the jokes sometimes fall flat. The cast needs to work on its timing when dealing with a young and loud audience to ensure the best lines get a reaction.
There is some audience interaction, but it is inconsistent and the cast didn’t seem quite sure how to reel the rowdy crowd back in. It would be better to engage with the audience more regularly, even if just in small ways. Stephanie McKay THE FABULIST Victoria School Gym ★★★½
Jeffrey Popiel is a man of many voices. His deep, natural singing voice is warm and pleasant. But he’s equally skilled at reaching the highs required to voice a tiny bat or a Kermit-esque frog.
The talented singer and musician (who plays in Saskatoon band Minor Matter) uses masks and songs to tell several Aesop’s Fables while live shadow puppets respond to the lyrics.
There are lots of opportunities for kids to make animal sounds and Popiel’s relaxed onstage demeanour as he strums his guitar is a refreshing alternative to the manic energy sometimes accompanied by theatre aimed at children.
If you don’t remember your Aesop’s Fables well, you might be surprised by the grim subject matter. Suicidal bunnies feature in one. There’s a murdered goose in another. It’s a tone that doesn’t always line up with the Disney way of thinking.
And yet, it’s nice that Popiel is straight up with the audience. It’s a beautiful show to look at, though the setup would benefit from more light on Popiel’s face. Popiel’s spontaneous betweensong banter is nice, but the play lacks an overall thread to tie the tales together. It ends rather abruptly after one of the better song/puppetry combos about a bat and a weasel.
The moral of the story? An artist’s work is never done. Stephanie McKay
BUSHEL AND PECK Cosmo Centre ★★★★½
What would happen if two creative child prodigies were locked up in a nursery with nothing more than a sheet of plywood, a light, some balloons and two blow dryers? And what if those kids were left alone for a very, very long time? The answer can be found in the original physical comedy Bushel and Peck.
Alastair Knowles (of the celebrated Fringe act James & Jamesy) and choreographer Stephanie Morin-Robert have created a theatrical journey that beautifully combines dance, mime and traditional theatre.
The performance revolves around the emotional journey of two sweet, childlike characters. Things can take dark and sexy turns, however, evoking a variety of responses from the audience. In the hands of less deft performers, there would be a risk of things getting creepy. Instead the result is an endearing and rewarding walk through a wide range of the human experience.
It also is clearly raising the question of what makes good theatre, something Fringe enthusiasts will be pleased to explore.
The most impressive aspect of the show is the physicality, whether it’s the use of small facial expressions or graceful gymnastics moves worthy of the upcoming Olympics.
Put this on your must-see list for 2016. The crowd was laughing before the lights even came up. It’s easily worth two or three times the $15 ticket price. Heather Persson