The 22nd Fringe kicks off tonight (June 30), and you might understandable be uncertain about which shows to choose from among the 150 or so productions that run between now and July 11.
You can check out our previews here, of course, and our reviews starting online tomorrow. It’s always useful, too, to listen to word of mouth around the festival and hear what other theatregoers consider hot shows.
And then there’s the history factor: over the years, a number of performers, writers and directors have impressed us with their work, and it’s a good bet that their current shows are going to be worthwhile.
Here’s a short list of some of the artists worth catching at this year’s Fringe :
CHRIS CRADDOCK – You probably know the Edmonton-based theatre artist for Boygroove, BASH’d and last year’s remarkable solo show Moving Along, which he performed in a specially rigged chair fitted with its own lighting system, which he worked himself while delivering a mile-a-minute monologue. He’s back with another solo show, Public Speaking, playing multiple characters as he plays the show’s sound effects. (Helen Gardiner Phelan Playhouse, 79A St George)
ANNE MARIE SCHEFFLER – Canadian Comedy Award nominee and Fringe vet Scheffler mines her own life in Suddenly Mommy! for entertaining, all-too-true tales about what it’s like being a mother and still trying to have a life of her own and realize her dreams. Scheffler’s always been able to weave insights and laughs into her shows, and this solo piece, which touches on Celine Dion and Supernanny, is sure to be as much fun. (St. Alban’s Boys and Girls Club,?843 Palmerston)
ANITA MAJUMDAR – You’ve seen Majumdar in her Dora-nominated plays Fish Eyes and The Misfit. Now she teams up with actor Leon Aureus, musician Reza Jacobs and director Brian Quirt for Oy! Just Beat It!, about a pair of Bollywood playback singers. Look for Bollywood tunes mixed with Michael Jackson hits. (Tarragon Extra Space, 30 Bridgman)
T.J. DAWE – A Fringe regular, Dawe’s one-man shows are based on his amazing storytelling techniques and dry sense of humour. He’s able to talk about seemingly diverse topics yet ultimately tie them all together by the end of his always sold-out performances. This year’s piece is Lucky 9, in which he discusses how he used TV show The Wire and a personality chart called the Enneagram to develop as a person. (Helen Gardiner Phelan Playhouse, 79A St George)
D’BI.YOUNG – A dynamic performer in any situation – for a recent SummerWorks show, she read from a script-in-progress and scattered the pages around the stage – young combines a big smile, a big heart and dub poetry to create pieces that push the theatrical envelope. In Word! Sound! Powah!, she concludes her “biomyth monodrama” trilogy about three generations of women in an African-Jamaican family. (Theatre Passe Muraille Mainspace, 16 Ryerson)
STEVEN GALLAGHER – The Fringe is a chance for an artist to work on a new skill, so we’re looking forward to actor Steven Gallagher’s (Urinetown, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Elegies, A New Brain) first venture as a playwright. Craplicker is the story of a gay guy (Caden Douglas), out to his friends but not his family, who finds he has to open the closet door to his relatives. Directed by the fab Mary Francis Moore (You Fancy Yourself), the cast includes David Gale, Jeff Miller, Ryan Kelly and Wesley Connor. (Tarragon Mainspace, 30 Bridgman)
KELLY STRAUGHAN – A director who emphasizes movement as well as text in her productions, Straughan has directed a number of Fringe hits, including Wake and Timebomb. In This Is About The Push, by Rachel Blair (Wake), she uses various sorts of storytelling to look at women, invasion and war with a cast that includes Kimwun Perehinec, Jennifer Villeverde and Naomi Wright. (Factory Theatre Studio, 125 Bathurst)
MORRO AND JASP – Over the course of the years at the Fringe we’ve watched sisters Morro and Jasp, played by the clown team of Heather Marie Annis and Amy Lee, grow up and go through puberty. In Morro And Jasp Gone Wild, co-created with director Byron Laviolette, they’ve left the Fringekids venue far behind as they venture out of their comfort zone for spring break. (Tarragon Extra Space)
We’ll be offering regular online reviews, reports, updates and Tweets during the Fringe. Keep checking nowtoronto.com/fringe.
