This afternoon, my spouse pointed out to me that all of the shows we have seen together thus far have been categorized as “comedy” on the Fringe website. And so, determined to get out of our three-show-old rut, we went to see Standing on the Hollow, by Present State Movement, which is in the wonderfully ambiguous “something…
Chicago-based 1UP Productions’ contribution to this year’s Fringe Festival is called No Stopping, No Warping, No Dying – a title which references one of the main characters’ philosophy in both life and video gaming. “No Stopping” takes place atop a giant Nintendo (that’s the original NES, mind you) and is played out by two actors playing “Player 1” (Charles Askenaizer)…
Like Sophie wrote about her Fringe experiences yesterday, I did not intend to have a “theme day”, but I did: I wound up seeing two one-woman shows. However, I can’t really compare them, because the similarities kind of end there. Lord of the Files, written and performed at the Theatre Garage by Lesley Tsina, is a…
I love seeing new shows on the first day of Fringe. No reviews, no rumours, no spoilers; just me and my program. Unfortunately, Day 1 was not just me and my program, it was me and my program and my job that prevented me from seeing any shows before 10 PM, but I’ll take one…
Over 60 million people worldwide have seen the powerhouse musical Les Misérables since it opened in Paris in 1980 (the first English-language production was in London’s West End five years later). Les Misérables is the kind of show for which people will buy tickets regardless of the cast, venue, or dates; they just want to…
Gadfly Theatre’s newest production, QUEER! starts out as a sort of “GLBT 101”, but eventually transcends that and becomes a touching piece about the realization that many of the challenges GLBT-identified folk face come from within the queer community itself. As a reviewer, I find this a challenging piece to write about, because I can…
Hollywood has a reputation of creating new stars, throwing them into the spotlight, and then casting them aside. Sunset Boulevard tells the story of a faded star and her desperate attempts to claw her way back into the limelight. It’s a wonderful story full of great music, performed well by Minneapolis Musical Theatre, and yet…
Rock of Ages is an 80s rock concert with a plot. What can I say? It is so much fun. If you’re looking to be well and thoroughly entertained this weekend, go see it. Just go see it, and have a good time. You might even want to think about dressing up in your best…
Mission Theater promises that its production of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream is a “highly physical, energetic production”, and they aren’t lying. From start to finish, the play is bursting with energy. Characters dance, fight, frolic, and do just about anything but stay still. Australian director Penelope Parsons-Lord cleverly decided to use physicality to help…
It is easy to look back on the 60s and see bright colours, free love, and an exploding music scene. And in thinking of the music of the 60s, it is really easy to name successful female musicians: Carole King is the obvious name, but also lots of groups like The Ronettes, The Shirelles, The…
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