Fringe 2015

REVIEW: Threads @ Ottawa Fringe 2015 (Valerie’s Review)

June 24, 2015 by Valerie Cardinal

A young American woman goes to mid-war Vietnam to teach English in 1968, and finds so much more than she expected.

Should you see it?

As the lights went down at the end of Threads, I could feel tears welling in my eyes. There was something that hit me, something personal about its messages that everything happens for a reason and that you can’t save everyone. Anyone who ran into me right after I left Academic Hall can testify that I was a little discombobulated. I was blown away.

Yes, it’s not perfect; the pacing can be a little fast and the jumping around can get confusing. By the end, honestly, I didn’t care. The emotion and the story were there, and that’s all that mattered to me. This is a diamond in the rough and I’m almost afraid of the power it would hold if it was cut into shape a bit more.

Threads, as the name implies, is a collection of vignettes from the life of Tonya Jone Miller’s mother, Donna Jean. It mainly focuses on her time as a teacher in Vietnam in 1968, but also touches on her family, relationships and passion for Asian culture in general. These are amazing stories that deserve to be told, and they’re heartbreaking, fascinating and funny in equal measure.

Tonya Jone Miller is a powerful, emotional performer. It’s evident that this is a personal narrative, and she tells the story just as if it happened to her. I laughed with her and cried with her, and judging by the sniffles I could hear from the audience around me, I wasn’t the only one.

Make it a part of your must-sees if you want to hear amazing stories about a woman who’s not afraid to live her life to the fullest. It’s simply amazing.

For full show times and how to buy tickets, visit ottawafringe.com

But that’s just my opinion, and I’d love to know what you think! What did you think of Tonya Jone Miller’s performance? Were you crying along with me? Join the discussion in the comments below.

REVIEW: Inescapable @ Ottawa Fringe 2015 (Valerie’s Review)

June 24, 2015 by Valerie Cardinal

Two best friends and an odd device find themselves trapped in a time loop, over and over again.

Should you see it?

The less you know about Inescapable before going in, the better. So I’m going to keep the plot details to a minimum. All I’ll say is that this is about two men who keep repeating the same conversation endlessly. That doesn’t make it sound like the most exciting thing in the world, but a smart, well-written script makes Inescapable a thrilling endeavor. Even though the conversation is literally repetitive, it’s never boring. It’s like a spiral, spinning and spinning downwards into never-ending madness. And since I love plays that lean towards the absurd, this was right up my alley.

Inescapable is very professionally done from both a performance and direction standpoint. Both Martin Dockery and Jon Paterson turn in fantastic performances. Dockery brings his signature larger-than-life gestures and manic energy, while Paterson balances out the crazy with a much more even-keeled performance that still goes through multiple emotional shifts. Their dialogue is rapid-fire and Vanessa Quesnelle’s direction keeps Inescapable from being static.

Inescapable is a breath of fresh air; hilarious, surprising and efficient storytelling done by performers who know exactly what they’re doing.

For full show times and how to buy tickets, visit ottawafringe.com

But that’s just my opinion, and I’d love to know what you think! Were you sucked into Inescapable’s time loop? What did you think of the script? Join the discussion in the comments below.

REVIEW: Celebrity Exception @ Ottawa Fringe 2015

June 23, 2015 by Allan Mackey

Everyone gets one celebrity who, if given the opportunity, you’re allowed to have sex with and it’s not really cheating. When Kayla’s pick, movie star Xander Lucas, is filming in town, things suddenly get… interesting.

Should you see it?

A celebrity exception is a celebrity that, if the circumstances ever arose for you to have sex with them, you could do so guilt free and without repercussions from your partner.

In the play Celebrity Exception, shortly after learning that this celebrity exception rule exists, Mark learns that his long-term girlfriend Kayla’s celebrity exception, the macho Xander Lucas, is filming a movie in town. Complications ensue.

Celebrity Exception is very well-written. Knowing the company and the actors involved, and seeing the poster, I expected a much campier, sillier play (that isn’t usually my cup of tea). I was pleased to be wrong about a show that succeeds both as a drama and a funny comedy and that continually subverts what you’re expecting to happen by having the story veer left.

The actors, too, do wonderful work. Robin Hodge and Alexis Scott do fine work with a fun passive aggressive rivalry. Jonah Lerner couldn’t be a better choice for the macho action hero with a secret. And Mike Kosowon does some of the best dramatic acting I’ve seen him do while he navigates around all three of them.

Unfortunately, as much as I had come to enjoy Celebrity Exception, it made the ending a more serious disappointment. It quite honestly felt like an intermission before a second act that would never happen, leaving a lot of story threads wide open and unsatisfactorily resolved.

For full show times and how to buy tickets, visit ottawafringe.com

But that’s just my opinion and I’d love to know what you think? Who is your celebrity exception? Is this a dumb rule? Could you actually go through with it? How did you find the ending to this particular Celebrity Exception? Join the discussion in the comments below.

REVIEW: Inescapable @ Ottawa Fringe 2015 (Allan’s Review)

June 23, 2015 by Allan Mackey

A fast-paced thriller where two old friends find themselves trapped at an endless holiday party. Starring Jon Paterson and written by & starring Martin Dockery.

Should you see it?

Inescapable traps two good friends at a holiday party they swear they’ve been to before and is driving them crazy. A box has been taken out of the closet: Why were you in the closet? Why would you bring that out here? What does it do? Does it work? Why would you bring that out here?

This is a truly remarkable piece of theatre that relishes in its exquisitely circular nature. All points come back to one. Repeatedly.

Questioning on a higher level whether we can escape the lives we create for ourselves, Inescapable is a tightly wound narrative that is like a pot of water that you can watch boil. It gets off to a slow start but starts to pick up speed to a crazed, fevered, emotional pace, before the perhaps inevitable and certainly tragic ending.

There is so much more I could say about how intricate and brilliant this story is (and some have indeed gone into more detail than I did) but I truly think this is a show best experienced not knowing too much about it and not having any preconceived notions. .

Written by Martin Dockery (of such sold out hits: Wanderlust, The Bike Trip, Moonlight After Midnight, and Bursting Into Flames), Inescapable is performed by Dockery and another popular Fringe Veteran, Jon Paterson (last seen in Ottawa last year for a one night engagement of Daniel MacIvor’s House). These two are pros. They do phenomenal work here maintaining a lightning quick pace as well as impressively carrying the characters’ arcs through a lot of rapid changes. It’s so easy to see Dockery and Paterson getting as caught up and lost in Inescapable’s momentum as the characters they play, and the audience.

Inescapable is one of the most polished shows you’ll find at Ottawa Fringe – and it’s just barely at the beginning of its life. This show will start selling out over the weekend. Get yer tickets in advance.

For full show times and how to buy tickets, visit ottawafringe.com

But that’s just my opinion and I’d love to know what you think? Did this play turn your head for a loop? How does it compare to other Dockery work? Can we escape? Join the discussion in the comments below.

REVIEW: Mars @ Ottawa Fringe 2015

June 23, 2015 by Allan Mackey

A pair of starry-eyed astronauts on a critical voyage to Mars find that they must make some unexpected choices when a navigational error throws them miles off target.

Should you see it?

Mars is the story, of human endurance. Of hope, and of heart.

It’s presented as a dual narrative. On one hand we have USEC astronauts Malick and Shrieber, waking up from hypersleep to find themselves way off course on their journey to bring essential equipment to Mars in advance of a colony chip. With the only hope for humankind being to evacuate Earth, failure is not remotely an option.

On the other hand, we have a father travelling with his teenage daughter across the surface of Mars hundred(s) of years later. To pass the time they recount the epic story of Magic and Strider whose bravery and heroic commitment to the preservation of the human race made the thriving Martian colonies possible. And perhaps one day allow for a return to Blue Planet.

Mars is at the same time tragic and hopeful. It’s both stirring and smart. It’s engaging and a wonderful piece of Science Fiction.

It’s also well-written and very funny. Valerie Cotic and Mark Nocent are utterly believable astronauts faced with situations and difficult choices that push their resolve to complete their mission to a potential breaking point. They have a great chemistry together and do double duty as the show’s father/daughter in the other half of the story.

Sci-fi theatre isn’t all that common so if you’re a fan of the genre, or of simple human drama, catch Mars here while you can.

For full show times and how to buy tickets, visit ottawafringe.com

But that’s just my opinion and I would love to know what you think. How does Mars rank in the annals of science fiction? Were you teary-eyed at it’s conclusion? Left hopeful? Join the discussion in the comments below.

REVIEW: The Grandfathers @ Ottawa Fringe 2015

June 23, 2015 by Allan Mackey

Around the world teenagers are forced into war. 9 young men & women are thrown together, taught to ignore individuality and instead surrender to a greater cause. But these teens discover something that matters more…

Should you see it?

The Grandfathers sees a group of teens conscripted to serve 547 days in service of an unnamed militaristic country at war. The play is a series of scenes during basic training and shows the life changing effects the conscription and training has on the young group.

It’s a powerful look at the effects of war and what it takes to prepare for it, including the deep psychological toll it can take. It’s edgy, it’s emotional, it’s impassioned.

And it’s everything I hoped TWA was going to bring to the stage this year.

TWA, Third Wall Academy, is a company of young actors operating under the Third Wall Theatre and 100 Watt Productions. The company train & rehearse together to work towards a public production to Ottawa Fringe every year and I’ve been a big fan since Moonfleece in 2011 ranked among my top shows that year. The Grandfathers marks my favourite TWA show since that one.

Under James Richardson’s direction, the company of actors becomes a company of soldiers, marching across the stage with chilling efficiency. The company of recuits, played by Rafael Fantacci, Helen Thai, Ann Teodorescu, Moragh McDougall, Stephanie Vlichkin, Jessica Mundle, Jess Clement, and Adrian Pyke all acquit themselves wonderfully. They’re led by Leah Morris as the company’s Sarge who commands a strong presence as demands press-up after press-up from the company she’s whipping into shape.

From the battle scenes that bookend the play to such scenes as the company debating what to do with a wounded bird, The Grandfathers is a haunting, dramatically delicious, piece of theatre.

For full show times and how to buy tickets, visit ottawafringe.com

REVIEW: Keith Brown: Exchange @ Ottawa Fringe 2015

June 23, 2015 by Valerie Cardinal

Keith Brown brings magic, mystery and imagination to the Ottawa Fringe.

Should you see it?

Seeing magic in an intimate venue like the ODD Box is an interesting experience. When I think of magic, I usually think of the illusionists in Vegas, performing to large rooms containing hundreds of drunken people. It’s even more impressive to me that Keith Brown pulled off his magic in one of Ottawa Fringe’s smallest venues, with an audience of no more than 12 – 15 people.

Since Keith Brown’s show is very dependent on audience interaction, I’d love to see what he does with a full audience. Even with empty seats, he’s an incredibly charming man who knows how to interact with an audience. He’s got a smile that puts you at ease, and a contagious sense of wonder.

Of course, the magic is the main attraction here, and Keith Brown does pull off some impressive feats, some apparently only accomplished using the power of his memory. To me, the sign of a good magic show is that moment when you feel like turning to person next to you and asking, “how did he do that?” Keith Brown has a few moments like that, especially at the end of the show, where he hits you with a few magical punchlines in a row. His most impressive trick had me worried that I’d have to call an ambulance, and then clapping like a little girl when it miraculously succeeded (you’ll know what I mean when you see it).

Keith Brown has been doing this for a long time – 13 years. It’s wonderful to see the passion he has for his craft, and the joy he gets out of sharing it with his audiences.

For full show times and how to buy tickets, visit ottawafringe.com

But that’s just my opinion, and I’d love to know what you think! Which part was your favorite? Were you were as worried as I was during the show’s climax? Join the discussion in the comments below.

REVIEW: THE ORCHID AND THE CROW @ Ottawa Fringe 2015

June 23, 2015 by Matthew Champ

Daniel Tobias’ first solo show, The Orchid and The Crow, rolls into Ottawa Fringe this year taking a funny yet serious look at religion, cancer and the power of Lance Armstrong. Should you see it?

Daniel Tobias, an atheist Jew, recounts being diagnosed with Stage Four testicular cancer and how when he felt that all was lost he discovered the healing power of Lance Armstrong.

Tobias is extremely engaging and entertaining. He takes the stage with great control and command in this one hour variety show of comedy, music and drama. The show starts off like an alt-rock concert, where the only thing missing were the audience holding lighters in the air.

The Orchid and the Crow is a cleverly written and performed piece of drama that is very rock and roll. The storytelling aspect to the show is edgy and keeps the audience on the edge of their seat. Tobias is a performer extraordinaire.

Tobias is an extremely talented musician and vocalist to go along with his story-telling and acting skills and is definitely a Fringe performer one can watch for hours.

The only problem is that the show was riddled with technical difficulties due to the fact that the venue changed the seating arrangement in the theatre after he had done his tech rehearsal earlier that week. These technical issues were probably sorted out very quickly by his second show, but it unfortunately did affect the opening night performance.

My favourite part of the show included a beautiful aria that was bitingly funny with hilarious animations about the procedure to remove his cancerous testicle and it morphed into a love song to his right ball.

Seriously, you can’t go wrong by checking out The Orchid and The Crow. It’s a lot of fun! Rock on!

If you want more information on The Orchid and The Crow (times and tickets) click here!

But that’s just my opinion and I’d love to know what you think. What did you think of the format of The Orchid and The Crow? Did you connect more to the music, comedy, storytelling or drama aspect of the show? Join the discussion and tell me what you think in the comments below!

REVIEW: JAPANESE SAMURAI DON QUIXOTE CHALLENGING AGAINST ENGLISH GIANT WINDMILLS!! @ Ottawa Fringe 2015

June 23, 2015 by Matthew Champ

All the way from Japan, Hiroshi Shimizu brings Japanese Samurai Don Quixote Challenging Against English Giant Windmills!! to Ottawa Fringe. Should you see it?

Hiroshi Shimizu takes the stage to tell the trials and tribulations of attempting to be a stand-up comedian in Japan, where there is no stand-up comedy, and out of Japan, where he spoke little to no English. The story takes us from Japan to New York to Edinburgh and the adventures in between including a firebug father, troubles with Immigration and comedy gigs in Scottish strip clubs.

Shimizu has a lot of energy. He never really slows down on this rambling hour of funny and poignant stories. Shimizu is funny, I think part of it is the speed and energy he puts into his dictation, but the other aspect is clearly around how he came to learn the English language, and how he has scripted some very deliberate, yet funny, mispronunciations and English faux pas.

The real problem in Japanese Samurai Don Quixote Challenging Against English Giant Windmills!! is that the show is as convoluted and all over the place as the title of the show. Some of his stories seem to go on forever and just keep repeating themselves, almost to the point where the simple joke is beaten out of the audience. By the end of the show, the stories, especially his last story around his first English interview for a UK based newspaper just felt like they were dragging as he tried to thinly connect the title of his story to his content.

The show is still fun. I spent a lot of the time with a smile on my face and one of the highlights is when Shimizu does some of his actual stand-up routine, unfortunately he only goes into his routine once or twice throughout the shows entirety.

For more information on Japanese Samurai Don Quixote Challenging Against English Giant Windmills!! (times and tickets) click here!

But that’s just my opinion and I’d love to know what you think. Were you able to connect with Shimizu’s stories? What was your favourite story that he told? Join the discussion and tell me what you think in the comments below!

REVIEW: O God @ Ottawa Fringe 2015

June 23, 2015 by Caitlin Oleson

An eclectic cast of everyday people tackle big spiritual questions like “What’s your vision of Heaven?” and “What happens when you pray?”

Should you see it?

O God isn’t a conventional play with a clear narrative and characters. Instead, it’s a conversation starter. It’s structured as a series of very short scenes: some dramatic, some musical, some nothing more than audience questions off Twitter, and all inspired by qualitative research conducted in Ottawa on the topic of spirituality.

This is what I liked best about O God: because its content comes from average people, it’s easy to relate to and understand. It tackles issues that affect all of us and does so in a non-confrontational manner. O God has a lot of heart and strives to build community around a shared sense of love and respect for one another.

Much like its predecessor (God Verbatim), this show isn’t the most polished work at the Fringe but is worth seeing because of its heart and the thought-provoking subject matter (not to mention because of the beautiful singing). Worth noting is that O God has a focus on environmental and social issues so fans of God Verbatim will be seeing completely new material including a movement-based scene about trees in a forest (or cultural diversity?) and a beautiful monologue about language.

For full show times and how to buy tickets, visit ottawafringe.com

But that’s just my opinion, and I’d love to know what you think! Did you see God Verbatim last year? If so, how did O God stack up? If not, did this style of storytelling intrigue you? Join the discussion in the comments below.