The Fringe is all about surprises. Day 2 has barely begun and already I’ve been surprised twice.
The first surprise wasn’t a pleasant one. LIKE OMIGAWD was a big letdown (see capsule review). All style and cold impression no heart, characters or insight into that era. Lyrics and music that limped along. A couple of okay performances, but there’s more wit and cleverness in a Much Music Video On Trial 80s episode.
The next surprise was a good one. REESOR, playing over at the Factory Studio, is a very theatrical look at Mennonite pioneers in Northern Ontario during the first half of the 20th century. Committed performances, imaginative staging and a script that, though it could have a stronger emotional arc, is full of genuine poetry and heartfelt storytelling.
If you know about any other surprises, or have any late-breaking Fringe gossip, please drop us a line. Feel free to comment on our reviews, which we’ll be posting every day throughout the festival.
Okay. I’m off to AN INCONVENIENT MUSICAL, hoping to be… surprised.
