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The Tempest (Bear and Co.)

July 15, 2015 by Caitlin Oleson

The Tempest (Bear and Co.)

The Tempest is Shakespeare’s last work and it’s full of mischief. A magical ex-Duke brings a watery storm upon a nearby ship, causing it to wreck upon his island and allowing him to wreak havoc on the lives of its surviving crew.

Like most of Shakespeare’s work, The Tempest follows a few interweaving stories. First there is that of Propsero, the usurped Duke of Milan exiled to a deserted island and bent on regaining his position by using magic and cunning. Assisting him is Ariel, an impish spirit he saved who now owes him a year’s worth of debt.

Then there’s the story of Prospero’s mightily pissed-off servant, Caliban, whose mother was the rightful ruler of the island before her death. When seeing an opportunity to dispose of his cruel master, Caliban eagerly enlists the help of a couple of drunkards who have been marooned on the island. Read the full review.

REVIEW: The Adventures of Red Rascal @ Ottawa Fringe 2015

June 26, 2015 by Valerie Cardinal

REVIEW: The Adventures of Red Rascal @ Ottawa Fringe 2015

An adventurer in a red hood returns to the town of St. Anthony to get revenge and save the town from an evil leader.

Should you see it?


A three-rated show is a good one. A three covers everything from "all right" to "really really good".While the Red Rascal was recounting his sad tale of vengeance, I found myself wondering where I had heard it all before. I quickly realized that his back story was incredibly similar to a mash-up of two characters from my favorite cult classic film, The Princess Bride; Inigo and Westley. Except our Red Rascal is a lot less cool, and can never seem to get in a good comeback.

The sword fighting is cool, though. Even though the plot is fairly threadbare, The Adventures of Red Rascal is a cute show punctuated by clanging swords and cartoonish humor. Danielle Savoie fully committed to her role as the princess Sophie, but I wish she’d had a little bit more to do as her sword-wielding alter ego. I wasn’t really buying Red Rascal as a Robin Hood-style rogue, mostly because Jake William Smith made him seem kind of like a harmless doofus. In fact, the two henchman stole the show, bringing on the comedy every time they were on stage.

The Adventures of Red Rascal is family friendly fun, and the outdoor venue gives it some extra life.


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 enjoy Red Rascal’s antics? Join the discussion in the comments below. 

 

What to Check Out: The Adventures of Red Rascal @ Ottawa Fringe 2015

June 13, 2015 by Valerie Cardinal

What to Check Out: The Adventures of Red Rascal @ Ottawa Fringe 2015

The 2015 Ottawa Fringe Festival is only days away. This week, Allan Mackey and Valerie Cardinal talked with some of this year’s presenters and pored over all the available material for all 56 shows at this year’s festival in order to decide the ten shows they thought were the most exciting and/or intriguing. From the 12th to the 16th, they’ll be highlighting those shows. Then on the 17th, we’ll talk about a few honourable mentions and give you a video preview of five local shows sure to entertain. Happy Fringing!Read the full review.

REVIEW: Cyrano de Bergerac

February 8, 2012 by Allan Mackey

REVIEW: Cyrano de Bergerac

Hercule Savinien de Cyrano de Bergerac is a classic tragic hero. Master swordsman and master wordsmith alike with no shortage of panache and bravado. Hercule Savinien de Cyrano de Bergerac is also a classic man in the friend-zone when the woman he loves, Roxanne, asks him to take the man she loves under his protection.Read the full review.

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