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Culture Stage

Fringe Review: Angels & Aliens

ANGELS & ALIENS by Sydney Hayduk and Jeff Leard. Passe Muraille Mainspace. July 4 at 11 pm, July 6 at 5:45 pm, July 7 at 1:45 pm, July 9 at 5:15 pm. Buy tickets. Rating: NNN


While the audience awaits the start of this odd sketch-inspired comedy, a pre-recorded mock guided-meditation sets the absurd tone. What follows is Sydney Hayduk and Jeff Leard’s two-hander about platonic roommates who try to distract themselves from the embarrassment of a drunken hookup by playing an app called iBang.

The game simulates a creationist theory of the world with Hayduk and Leard competing to control the outcome. Their journey through human civilization eventually forces them to examine their modern relationship. The concept is clever but convoluted and becomes repetitive. Voiceover is used effectively, especially in a bit about the evolution of religion. Leard also serves as the director, but the show could have used an outside eye.

About halfway through they start breaking the fourth wall and commenting on the jokes, which undermines the satire.

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