| Go F*ck Yourself |
For those of you involved in the improv scene who are unaware of what happened this weekend and want a good way to catch up:
http://blog.fagstein.com/2009/07/18/go-fuck-yourself-eric-amber/ |
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| 2007 Vancouver fringe festival picks |
Here are ratings for the shows I've seen in the 2007 Vancouver fringe fest.
★★★★★ Flamenco Con Fusion - Fantastic flamenco guitar, rhythms and dancing.
★★★★★ The Absurdyssey - Magical outdoor circus and story (dress warm).
★★★★ Cody Rivers Show - Action-packed sketch comedy.
★★★★ Napolean's Secret Diary - One man comedy show with a French historic flair.
★★★★ Die Roten Punkte - German heavy metal musical farce.
★★★★ Scratch - Good improv combo. I love the soundtrack addition.
★★★★ Uber Alice - A scatterbrained comedy.
★★★★ It's Good to Know People @ The Fringe Club
★★★ Kenny's Fried Chicken - Embellished musical biopic of Kenny Rogers.
★★★ LOUNGE-ZILLA - Ridiculous gay cabaret.
★★★ The Fugue Code - Classical music thriller about secret societies.
★★★ Fluffy 10th Street - A dirty puppet short.
★★ Daniel Packard's Live Group Sex Therapy - His parents didn't love him.
There are a ton of good shows in 2007's crop. The festival goes till the 16th so you still have time to go see some great flamenco or comedy.
The fringe website sucks and they charge for the programs (double suck). Use this PDF schedule and Venue Map. |
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| photos from the fringe |
I've posted a bunch of my Vancouver fringe festival photos. |
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| Day 2 fringe festival report |
I highly recommend you see The Absurdyssey at the Vancouver fringe festival, being put on by Green Leaf Circus. An outdoor theater sets a magical atmosphere for this story. It's getting cold at night so dress warm or cuddle up.
The comments on my last post have really heated up. Hair-Beard-Combo posted his early picks and the Infringement people are taking issue.
Alex Eddington is blogging about traveling the Canadian fringe circuit for his show The Fugue Code.
A Culture Vulture in Lotus Land looks to be blogging the fringe also.
Suzan Marczak was an awesome volunteer and her artwork is fantastic. |
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| Fringe Festival and Infringement |
 The Vancouver Fringe Festival opens today! The fringe is dedicated to showcasing independent and experimental theater performances that you probably wouldn't have a chance to see otherwise. It's been voted Vancouver's Best Arts Festival five years in a row by Georgia Straight readers!
CBC covers some controversy some artists are raising, which isn't a new thing for fringe festivals. Canada has the dubious distinction of being the birthplace of the reactionary (and moronic) Infringement Festival.
I looked around to see if I could find some dedicated fringe bloggers, but couldn't find anybody unfortunately (I'll keep looking). Without Annette has been blogging the Montreal Fringe for the past few years, and it's definitely gained them increased notoriety on the circuit there.
Lucky timing, an inside connection, and a last-minute drop-out combined to make me a part-time venue captain at Performance Works! So I may be able to spread some insider buzz...
UPDATE: I posted my 2007 Vancouver fringe festival picks. |
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| This Made Me VERY Happy |
| I found this article about Sunday Night Improv on the TSC website. So awesome! |
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| Vancouver Storytelling Festival |
February 2-4 is the 15th season of the Vancouver Storytelling Festival.
I saw a meeting of a Storytelling Society in Scotland a few years ago and it was awesome. A merry gathering of people telling funny and engaging stories. I've volunteered to help out at the Vancouver festival to check it out. |
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| Oops! Bank robbery at the gimp pride parade |
John Feld is an outrageously funny guy whom I know in Toronto. He has multiple sclerosis and represents disabled interests. He has a storied past: living on a commune, as a communist party operative, being a jackass, getting the poetry on the subway.
He's putting on the play of his dreams. A bank robbery goes down during the gimp pride parade. It's on August 3, 11, 13 in Toronto.
"Disgraceful! Tasteless! Hilarious! No taboo left unmolested. Costumed cripples in wheelchairs parading down the streets! Cripples in scooters making love out-doors."
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| The Proof is in the Proof is in the Proof! |
Tonight I had the opportunity to see a production of the play Proof, written by David Auburn and put on at the TNC Theatre at McGill. It was very enjoyable. The actors were beautifully cast, and they all connected with their roles in an entertaining and captivating manner, with some tension thrown in for good measure. Proof grabbed my attention in the very first scene and was able to hold on to the very end.
A lot of student theater is mediocre at best. Proof stands out above the crowd. Go see it. (It was sold out when I attended, so I advise you to reserve your tickets.) It still plays on October 23 and 27-30.
My friend Adrienne Grafton was in the play, which is what brought me to see it. Kudos to her for her wonderful performance. Also kudos to the director Leorna Morris, who was able to put together an excellent overall performance (and was probably responsible for the choosing a good play to perform in the first place). The lead actress Jessica Besser-Rosenberg also deserves a heap of props. As the centerpiece role she was a key component of Proof's success, playing a depressive and yet likable persona. The male actors Gabe Camozzi and Joel Fishbane both provided a vigor that kept the play interesting to the end. I felt the need to mention them all, since every one of them was deserving of praise. Good show! |
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