Advertisement

Culture Stage

Fringe Reviews: Good Work in a Flawed Show

Rating: NNNNN


LARYSSA YANCHAK in LIFE & HOW TO AVOID IT

This jokey, over-directed script about an obsessive woman feels fake — not one word rings true — but the clear- voiced Yanchak delivers a spirited, energetic performance. NN (GS)

THE CAST in THIS I KNOW

The four actors sing like a dream and commit to their roles, but the script, about a revival meeting with a quirky minister, almost always hits predictable notes. NN (JK)

RYAN EGGENSPERGER in WE IS ALL OF US WANTING

Eggensperger is a generous and confident performer with an exciting angry streak. Too bad his over-long script — a series of mostly superficial monologues — never finds a focus. NN (GS)

HEIDI MUROFF and LAURA THORNE in THE CHURKENDOOSE

Actors Muroff and Thorne stand out in Thorne’s commendable queer take on a 1947 children’s story that would work better if its presentation weren’t so heavy-handed. NN (JK)

PETER SAWYER and JULIE HOLDSWORTH in JUST FRIENDS

Nebbishy academic Sawyer hires an escort (comely Kim Cattrall look-alike Holdsworth) to get back at his ex, and the two leads energize this predictable tale of obsession. NN (GS)

THE CAST in ROAD TO MUSKOKA

Partners Michael Harms and Barb Scheffler warble prettily and Denise Norman gets the laughs as their Hollywood-film-inspired nemesis in this slim-plotted comedy. NN (JK)

DIANE L. DANIEL in BOURGEE-BUSH WOMAN

Magnetic performer Daniel needs a stronger director/dramaturge to retool her contrived but well-meaning script about race, gender and upward mobility. NN (GS)

STEPHEN SHARPE in HAIR RETAINS ODOUR

Comic Sharpe has some funny lines, but this show, uncomfortably delivered, doesn’t blend the Irish and the gay sides of his life cleverly enough. NN (JK)

BERT STEINMANIS in GUYS & GUNS

The writing in these three sketches is limp TV, but Steinmanis does good work as a bank hostage who ends up controlling his kidnapper and as a deity looking to retire. NN (JK)

SUSAN DOYON in SLAM DUNK

Sports health professionals Tim Irvine and Ryan Hindmarsh are centre court in this blend of basketball and Star Wars, but only Doyon gives it a sense of theatre. NN (JK)

MIKE LUMMIS in THE COMEDY OF EROS

An attempt to one-up the Bard’s comic confusion of identities and sexuality flounders with weak performances, but Lummis as apothecary Testicles carries the ball(s). NN (JK)

CAM LUND and TREVOR BIRRELL in HAMM ‘N EG, SUNNY SIDE UP

Lund and Birrell make a fun geeky pair of losers who enter a talent contest to pay for hookers in this limp sex farce. NN (GS)

MICHAEL REINHART and DANIEL JADE LEVIA in THE NEXT BEST THING

Levia and author Reinhart have just the right feel for a great Vladimir and Estragon, but otherwise this take on Waiting For Godot is overlong and pretentious. NN (JK)

Advertisement

Exclusive content and events straight to your inbox

Subscribe to our Newsletter

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

By signing up, I agree to receive emails from Now Toronto and to the Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions.