FRINGE #19 June 12 to 21, 2009. My 2 cents...

Well it Is the most wonderful time of the year again, well almost. The weather is unusually nice for the 1st weekend of the Fringe, clear skies and warm to very warm temperatures that are normally reserved for the 2nd weekend of the ten day marathon of 'take your chance theatre'.
The warmer air is in part due to a later than usual start date for the festival, and the warm temperatures are more or less equally balanced by what I've heard and seen on stage so far this weekend, nothing too HOT and nothing too COLD, but with some cooler than others. And there is the definite lack of Grand Prix in the air this season too.

PENUMBRA: Play by Katherine Dempsey; Directed by Paul Van Dyke. With: Catherine Bérubé, Michelle Boback, Howard Rosenstein, and Christopher Moore. Not perfect (yet) but most definitely a must see on your Fringe to do list, -not to be missed. Michelle Bobeck delivers a stellar performance, equaled by that given by Catherine Bérubé. This is not a typical play for a Fringe stage, 'it is a serious piece of theatre' with an equally 'serious ensemble'. It's well placed at the MAI and this helps this 'professional production' with the needed space and necessary lighting required to pull it off on such a scale. It wouldn't have worked as well in one the Fringe found spaces. My biggest complaint would be the smoking, unnecessary these days, really! And some of the lighting was lacking on the faces at times...either actors missing their mark or just a question of too dark a design. It was sold out the 1st night it opened so get your tickets ahead. I predict this production will be on a Montreal stage sooner if not later in case you do miss it in this first run. 4 cents GO C IT!

COBRA III: At the JFL studio. My 3rd experience with this regular Fringe saga. It is a guilty pleasure and impossible not to enjoy the enthousiastic ensemble cast of +/- twenty two talented members. Even the most senior members of the audience were toe tapping and laughing along. It starts with a punch and sags a bit midway, but then picks up just in time to deliver a punchy finalé. Although it doesn't rise to the level of last year's production at the JFL Cabaret, for the camp, the eye candy, choreography, elaborate costumes and set, I have to give it some extra coin. 4 cents. GO SEE IT!

FUCKING STEPHEN HARPER: One man solo performance by Rob Salerno from Toronto. Playing at MainLine, it is worth spending the 50 minutes to learn more about how our current Canadian Government in power thinks and treats the LGBTA minorities in our great land... Although this is more the style of a Queer Current Events seminar at a Junior College than a play, it does have enough of the charm of a stand up piece and is presented in a "FOR ALL", style that is interesting enough for everyone, not only 'our own kind'. 3 cents. GO C IT!

3 WAYS TO HANDLE A TELEMARKETER: Playing at the Portugesse Association. Delightful perfromances are given by most of the cast with a lot of heart. Stand outs were Calli Armstrong Jamie Del Aguila and Chris Nachaj. Although we are not accustomed to a lot of set decoration at a typical Fringe show, this production suffers from way too much; And a poor use of it as well. Less would have been much more here: simply a clip board with chairs on wheels and the hand set of the phones attached would have worked much better. The restaurant counter was way overboard too. With such a large cast it is no surprise that it was sold out the first show, so plan ahead, however once the word gets out about the text, the crowds might stop forming. The play itself, although it has a great premise, misses far too many opportunities and just isn't funny. I counted only one moderate chuckle from a few audience members on one line. Not enough to merit the punch line that we can see coming half way through the text. 2 cents.

My spys tell me that 'Un jour j'ira à Compstelle' is worth seeing, playing in French at the MAI.

Next week I'll be seeing The Importance of Being Earnest and Perverts among others.
See you on the Main... Reminder St-Laurent Blvd closed next weekend: Thursday to Sunday.

Death and the Maiden

Altera Vitae's third production at MainLine Theatre is Death and the Maiden by Ariel Dorfman. Produced with a lot of heart the selection of this play is a great vehicle for the company artistic director Carolyn Fe Trinidad in the lead role of Paulina Salas. For Carolyn this play is deeply personal, “I've chosen to do this play to bring out the silent scream in everybody.” and this does come across on stage in her performance. Also well cast is Sam Croitoru as Dr. Roberto Miranda who not only fits the role physically like a glove he also plays his part technically accurate to the hilt.

With each new production, the company partners itself with a valuable, charitable organization whose mandate is similar to themes in the play. This production is dedicated to RIVO an organisation working with survivors of torture and other forms of organized political violence and the ongoing effects of their ordeal.

This is my final review of the season, *pre-Fringe naturally, having covering 25 plays since the new year I was hoping to go out with a bang to cap off the season before my four months hiatus. Unfortunately this production is not the highly publicized and much anticipated bang that I was longing for. The play is of course very well written and the story is still current as a drama and very interesting with just the right amount of added humor so well suited to Carolyn Fe's talents, but this production does not measure up to the company's previous work in both direction and over all the scope of the design. I think that it is time for the company to try on a different venue for it's next production, Bent, fall 2009.

Flawed in both stage and light design from a pour stage layout and choice of set pieces (that even upstage the action) to a very tedious lighting plot that is either much darker than the actual material of the story or too far bright for the eye to endure. There are a couple of good effects that amount to a few clever tricks that are lost to the audience depending on where you sit in relation to center stage, however they're too few to outweigh all the rest of the mess because of either poor lighting or forced blocking. The pacing sags all too often making it difficult to stay focused on the unfolding story. Also the venue is heating up, as it tends to do seasonally, so the end result between not enough light and slow pacing is a few heads were spotted nodding off; this despite the only approximately 100 minutes one act with no intermission running time. Finally there is the very questionable casting selection of William Ward as Paulina’s husband Gerardo Escobar; it is perplexing. Not only is he far too young for the role, the relationship comes across at best as colleagues. Sadly there is no believable chemistry or compassion on the spousal level which is so necessary to convincingly pull the relationship together. Playing to May 24th. More info... http://www.alteravitae.com/death&themaiden/index.html

*See you on the Fringe...season preview "Fringe For All" June 1st Café Campus 7pm!

My Child - Secluded Spots - by Gleams Theatre

Secluded Spots includes two productions: My Child and Riverside Drive both currently playing at MainLine to May 10th. They are directed by Constantin Sokolov of Gleams Theatre. MY CHILD by Mike Bartlett, London UK receives it North American premier, originally produced in London in 2007. This production features a large cast of local talent including: George Bekiaris, Marc Poulin, Warona Setshwaelo, Christine Rodriguez, Jacqueline Van de Geer, and Ira Sokolava.

The one act play runs approximately 65 minutes and is about a father who finds himself being phased out of his son's life. Denied access to his son's life he goes to extraordinary means to hold on to him. Thrown into a violent world where good intentions count for very little the play offers an incisive honest look at what it means to be a good parent. The staging is immaculate and the use of space is impeccably well blocked. The artists bring us into their world and hold our attention throughout. Very challenging material that's well presented all things considered.

Where the production suffers is in the overall design. The space is not the easiest to work in especially for a production of this scale. Lighting, set and costuming are all in need of a creative eye. The ideal stage for this play would be to mount it in a space like the M.N. Hydro Quebec Studio, maintaining the minimalist perspective but with a killer lighting design, and some avant-guard costuming; -Oh, and maybe 'en francais' as a bilingual production...food for thought for the producers next endeavor. GO C IT!

With Bated Breath exhales on the Centaur stage

Those who've been anxiously waiting can now finally exhale, With Bated Breath written by Bryden MacDonald opened April 23rd @ Centaur as the final production of their 40th season. The production directed by both Bryden MacDonald and Centaur's new artistic director Roy Surette, features noteworthy performances from Neil Napier, Eloi Archambaudoin, and Felicia Shulman. The production continues to May 24. The photo is of Michael Sutherland Young and Eloi ArchamBaudoin, taken by Yanick Macdonald.

The tale is centered around a troubled young gay man from a small coastal town in Cape Breton who comes to Montreal to start a new life in the big city. Not a play 'for all', but homophobes should not be dissuaded by the provocative promotional publicity that is obviously geared to appeal and to attract a gay male audience. The play isn't really all that gay. Although it does cover a lot of issues of sexuality it doesn't focus on just that one orientation. In fact there are more tits than dicks, -Which will surprise some and disappoint others in that it does try to cover some familiar and some unfamiliar territory in a very short time in the one act of 90 minutes. If it succeeds in achieving that goal really lies in the eyes of the beholder as it is very subjective material. One may be left questioning if the play tries too hard to please and what is the actual point of it all.

By staging the play in the small space the production retains it's necessary close nit flavor and intimate setting with the audience. There are moments that are deliberately uncomfortable and an abundance of sexually provocative scenes; some that include nudity, some of which were less necessary. The set’s an issue in that the actors and their action were not properly considered in it's design; They’re not completely safe and secure in some transitions and some of the on stage action. Even the audience is at some risk in how the set spills out close to the first row and the exit. The backdrop was also constantly entangled with the actors in their exits and entrances.

It isn't an obvious choice to find such a dark play selected as the end of the season as a Centaur production, -A time when one expects to find lighter fair material, of which this play most definitely is not. However it is easy to understand the hype surrounding the production, -the staging such work on a Centaur stage that would normally be seen as an independent companies selection and mounted in a smaller space. Not since Mambo Italiano has there been full frontal male nudity and the subject matter of gay sexuality all in one production at Centaur. Of course many other lesser known and unfunded local English language companies and stages have featured similar topics and even the male nudity for years, but they don't benefit from the support that is at the 'big house'. It is fascinating and a relief to see that this type of material that is normally reserved only for the independents is now finally influencing the choices of the larger companies and finding its way to their stages.

Cherry Docs is a great fit for Dan Jeannotte

Play written by David Gow, directed by Gabrielle Soskin with Sean Carney (Danny) and uncalled for alumni Dan Jeannotte (Mike). Produced by Persephone. Plays at Theatre Saint Catherine to April 26th. Photo credit Danny Harwood

A Neo-Nazi skinhead -Mike, is charged with murder...Legal Aid has assigned him a Jewish lawyer. Over the course of developing a defense the lawyer is forced to examine the limits of his own liberalism, and the demons underlying it. A poignant performance and courageous endeavor for Jeannotte who not only bears his bald head (shedding a great head of famous hair) but he bears his aching soul on stage as his character toils with his innate racist hate and his 'guilty' conscience. During the course of developing his defense he is forced to deal with his culpability in the crime and the loss of his distorted, misguided and fast fading ideals.

There is a kind of 'film-noir' feel created by the lighting design of Mee Youn which is exceptionally stand out and very effective in defining space on this rather difficult intimate stage to light. Some projection is used to transition between scenes which is less effective due to being so faded out (so that it doesn't upstage the action on stage) to the point where it becomes difficult to read. The small space at TSC serves the play well highlighting the isolation of Mike's confinement as well as forcing the intimacy these two characters are obligated to share as they strive to achieve their goals.

However illuminating the effect is to the eye, I would prefer it if the smoking effect was eliminated and at very least extinguished. I came very close to walking out, as did my guest, due to the secondary smoke. In this closed space, and in this day and age, this effect is out dated and in this case very unnecessary. The productions biggest flaw is that it should have ended sooner; Which is odd to say since it is one act under 90 minutes. There is a pivotal moment in the play, approximately 15 minutes prior to where it now ends, which is a more suitable moment for it to end. The epilogue runs on too long so we loose the dramatic impact and tension achieved during the climax, -we get sidetracked by dragging out the aftermath of the storytelling; it may work well on paper but from the audience perspective it is too long, and again also unnecessary.

The Play, written in 1998 is unfortunately still all to relevant today in it's story and message which does give us hope against hate as Mike seeks redemption and possible change and forgiveness. GO C IT!

Over the River and Through The Woods is Laugh Out Loud -Hysterically Funny!

Over the River and Through The Woods by Joe Dipietro

Directed by Steven Schipper, this play about love of family 'Tengo Famillia" is the theme of this endearing, warm-hearted comedy. The central character Nick is an attractive up-and-coming young marketing executive from NYC who has dutifully visited his maternal and paternal grandparents in New Jersey every Sunday for dinner since his childhood. He announces that he has received a promotion that comes with strings attached, a transfer to Seattle, far enough away that it will affect their relationships. Thus ensues a plot by the grandparents to give him a reason to stay.

Although written from an Italian family's perspective, this is a familiar dialogue between the generations, that transcends ethnicity and cultural backgrounds. The play is truly enjoyable and suitable for all the family; so drag along the kids and the grandparents alike. The tightly well written text is riddled with jokes that generate bold laughs from the audience starting with the first few lines right through to the end of act one and most of the second act but then this where things become somewhat more sentimental. It plays out not unlike a TV sit-com with two relatively short acts. Running time is under 1:45 including a 15min. intermission which is not too long to hold on to our attention, and there is enough humour to keep us focused stage front.

A brilliantly talented cast add to the overall enjoyment of the production; -Featuring: Doreen Brownstone (Emma), Bernie Passeltiner (Nunzio), Diana Donnelly (Caitlin), and Gianpaolo Venuta (Nick); But it is the commanding performances of both Deann Mears (Aida) and Frank Savino (Frank), as the husband and wife who's home the play is set in, that steal the show. Their comedic timing and total physical embodiment of their characters make us want them to be our grandparents.

The set design of Michael Gianfrancesco is well suited to the play, however in this space becomes overwhelming in structure, often enveloping the characters to the point that depending on where you are sitting in the theatre you have to look for the actors on stage following their voices. Perhaps this is a deliberate choice since for this generation and culture it was always about the home and their appearance; -Since he also designed the costumes the visual is that they too are also absorbed into the walls and decor.

The only fault I had with the play is that it relies heavily on individual characters narratives to provide the audience with information and to move the story forward, and although this works well in the first act it gets abused in the second act and drags on into the epilogue. The production also has some transitions that are a little rough and need some polish; And some of the blocking choices are questionable in that for example, we're learning about the demise of a particular character while that actor is still present on stage, which again may be deliberate but to the audience could be a bit confusing, specially since this happens a few times.

Playing @ Segal Center 514 739-7944
GO C IT!


Photo credit Randy Cole.

Paradise Lost ... Is not lost in eyes of the beholder!

Paradise Lost. -playing at Theatre Saint Catherine until April 12th is closing with a pay what you can on April 12th, Easter Sunday. A small but appreciative audience was in attendance at the intimate opening night premier of the latest creation hatched from Rabbit in a Hat productions.

I am always very leery of any solo performance when the actor is credited as the director, and more often than not the credit isn't merited; however there is no egg on director-performer Paul Van Dyck in his "one man" solo performance as he offers us an early sweet for Passover and Easter week. Granted it is not for everyone, however don't be put off by the poetic origins of this multi-medium piece of performance art. The inspiration behind Van Dyke’s concept was germinated by a day at the beach on the western shores of Africa while He read John Milton's poem of the same title; -Van Dyck also adapted the text, apparently cutting it down from over 200 to 17 pages.

Featured elements are: abstract puppets of Adam and Eve, rock opera antics to the Stones, shocking text presented with multiple voices brilliantly performed, -comparable to the talents of Montreal's Rick Miller, and some amazing video projection that successfully supports and doesn't upstage the performance, all coming together with perfectly synchronized blocking and seamless scene changes.

What makes this production work is the collaboration, and we all know that theatre = collaboration, right?! The smart move here was the artist surrounding himself with like minded and equally talented and imaginative artists in their respective fields of expertise. All the elements of: computer animation (Jeremy Eliosoff) video projection (Allison Elizabeth Burns) lighting (Jody Burkholder) and puppetry (Lyne Paquette) all serendipitously come together to make for a very original production, with some astonishingly great memorable moments. Photo credit : Andrea Hausmann. Look for this production to garner some nominations at this season's MECCAS. GO C IT!