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hamilton fringe festival
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by
BRIAN MORTON
July 8 - 14. 2010 |
The seventh edition of the Hamilton Fringe Festival is but a week away now. There are 27 productions in the festival, and they are a varied bunch. This week we will look at the productions coming from Toronto and destinations even farther away. The joy of the Fringe is in its variety – you literally never know what to expect!
First up is Toronto’s Fishstick Productions, who bring us the Ontario premiere of Halifax playwright Charles Crosby’s The Whores. A hit play two years ago at the Atlantic Fringe Festival, the script is a docu–drama about prostitution that unravels the stereotypes about sex trade work.
According to actress Hayley Fisher, who plays one of the girls in the play, “No one grows up wanting to be a prostitute. So who are these women, what do they want, and what keeps them going in a job that none of us will ever understand? Based on extensive interviews with sex trade workers, our play is alive with their words, humour and experiences. I’ve come to love these women, for their strength, their vulnerability and their humanity.” Expect nudity, deep irony and a raw edge.
Another cool show looks to be Toronto–based Julius Rex Theatre’s play
Emotional Baggage – the story of Julius Manly, from Biggar, Saskatchewan, who dreams of going to New York City where he’s convinced life is better. While waiting, he fusses, he frets, and he arranges his suitcases, dreaming about life in the Big Apple.
According to performer David Langois, “This is a show for anyone who
has ever struggled to move forward in life. Everyone knows that change is difficult and challenging. One has to make a break with the past. Often their ‘emotional baggage’ gets in the way.”
The State of New York V Peter Pan by Another Law and Order Production is a mash–up. The play asks what if the iconic characters crafted by J.M. Barrie — Peter Pan, Tinkerbell and Captain Hook — existed in the world of “Law & Order”?
In this clever play, Neverland is a private club where ‘lost boys’ of all ages play in ways that aren’t always innocent. Peter Pan, Tinkerbell and Captain Hook end up in the detectives' crosshairs after Wendy Darling’s body is discovered in an alley.
Playwright Paul Koster says, “Like Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, I wanted to combine two iconic works — Peter Pan and ‘Law & Order’ — and see how they meshed. What struck me is how well Peter, Tinkerbell and Captain Hook fit into the ‘Law & Order’ universe. Neverland became a place for lost boys of all ages to indulge themselves in the most decadent ways imaginable.”
From Toronto’s Red Pocket Collective comes The Boat People, playwright Sylvia Vuong’s multi–cultural narrative of a young man’s journey to freedom after the fall of Saigon and his trials to become resident in Canada.
Actor Andrew Kim claims that “the story at the heart of the play is one that is rarely told. It revolves around an immigrant’s [travels] to Canada from Vietnam at the end of the war – the audience is shown how the perilous journey is. The tale is presented by a group of emerging artists who are excited to share their work to the audiences of the Hamilton Fringe Festival.”
Visa Called This Morning is written and performed by Jen Gallant. A graduate of the Second City conservatory program, Gallant is doing her first one–woman show in the fringe – the subject matter is debt and her take on the subject is firmly comedic.
Says Gallant, “When I decided to write a show, I knew naturally it would be a comedy. The idea came to me when I had just slammed down my phone to another 8 am wake–up call from a collection agency. Most of the show has been created through improvisation and singing in the shower. I never intended to be funny; I find the truth in the story
and the relationships with characters and I end up with something naturally hilarious, which is the most fun to play on stage.”
From Brantford comes triple threat performer Sean Hauk, with his musical variety show The Mixed Tape. Coming straight from a leading role in Theatre Aquarius’ recent production of the The Rocky Horror Show, expect a twisted sense of humour married to a up tempo selection of musical numbers.
Says Sean, “It’s a family show, and it features a different surprise guest every night. I will play my guitar and share music and jokes in a clever and entertaining way. I really hope to keep it different and new – even for me!”
Coming up from New York City and into the Aquarius studio theatre comes Joe’s Cafe. It is one of two American productions in this year’s Hamilton Fringe. The musical, offering features Rupert Wates, Stacey Lorin and Valorie Millar, is a song cycle/musical revue inspired by iconic folk artists such as Woody Guthrie. All of the songs in the
show are based upon true stories.
Says folksinger Wates, “The audience is invited to imagine that they are guests in an all–night cafe, where friends gather to share their stories. In this intimate environment, three consummate performers deliver 15 songs that re–tell the experience of ordinary American people. There are tales of love and loss in the world wars, and other stories of yesterday and today, each recast in song, each of them a piece in the mosaic that is the story of America itself.”
Everything You Need to Know About Women For Dummies is likely to raise a few eyebrows amongst the fairer sex. A trio of poets, Dwayne Morgan, Tomy Bewick and Leviathan Grant share their point of view on dealing with women, relationships, marriage and the art of getting laid. Expect a no–holds–barred approach to the subject rich in imagery, spoken word and clever humor.
Fishbowl, a production that premiered last year at Buddies in Bad Times in Toronto before going on to New York, Minneapolis and the London Fringes features five characters all played by actor/chameleon Mark Shyzer.
According to producer Sarah Olmstead, “You should see Fishbowl because it will make you laugh out loud... then it will make you question the meaning of life. You will undoubtedly walk away talking about and quoting the five very different, very hilarious characters who are all played and created by the talented Mark Shyzer. And as if watching him transform to play everything from an awkward schoolgirl obsessed with physics to a bitter octogenarian with a comatose roommate wasn’t enough (which it is), you’ll love trying to figure out how all the characters are connected before the guy sitting next to you does, as pieces of the puzzle are slyly revealed.”
Coming direct from the Ottawa and Toronto fringes is Tethersends Production’s Saucy Jack, written and performed by Doug McLauchlan. The script is an exploration of the mind of one of the most infamous serial killers of all time – Jack the Ripper. In 1881, a killer murdered prostitutes in the Whitechapel district of east London. Set in the form of a lecture on these horrific crimes, McLauchlan explores the possibilities of the case with a chilling and disturbing focus.
From Baltimore Maryland, comes John Hefner with his one–man show The Hefner Monologues. A comic look at sharing a last name with the founder of the Playboy empire, by an estranged and distant cousin leads us to expect adult humor about the nature of fame and celebrity in American popular culture.
There are a few other fascinating shows including Deodar Productions version of Rudyard Kipling’s classic Just So Stories. If you’re looking for the opportunity to introduce your kids to these tales, or just want to discover (or rediscover) them for yourself, this is the
perfect time.
Jeff Cottrill’s Grouch on A Couch speculates about what happens when a
certain “grouchy” TV children’s television icon finds himself enrolled in anger management classes. Serena Williamson’s Married to A Jackass Blues also looks interesting; it makes it to the Hamilton Fringe from Ottawa, arriving with biting satire and a cool country and western score.
So as you can see Hamilton, there is a lot – really a lot – to see!
Don’t be overwhelmed by all of the choices. Ask other patrons what they have seen and liked, and take a chance on a show that sounds interesting. Also check out the reviews of all 27 productions here in the pages of View in the weeks to come. V
2010 HAMILTON FRINGE FESTIVAL
194 performances of 27 productions.
Thursday, July 15 until Sunday, July 26.
@ Theatre Aquarius and the Downtown Arts Centre.
hamiltonfringe.ca
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What about Inbetween places? It too, was fascinating, by an up and coming, you-should-keep-your-eyes-on-him playwright!
Posted by lis on July 20, 2010 at 4:26pm | Report this commentWhat about Inbetween places? It too, was fascinating, but an up and coming, you-should-keep-your-eyes-on-him playwright!
Posted by lis on July 20, 2010 at 4:26pm | Report this commentThe last 2 years I managed to see almost ALL of the great/not-so-great Hamilton Fringe performances... WELL worth the $$$ and the time, esp if you love live theatre, but have a shorter-than-a-movie attention span :) Go see them all!! :)
Posted by Chris Shaver on July 08, 2010 at 8:12pm | Report this comment
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