THIS PLAY WINS
Theatre Centre Incubator (1115 Queen West)
Rating: NN
Aug 8 at 12:15 pm, Aug 9 at 5 pm, Aug 10 at 7:30 pm, Aug 11 at 5 pm, Aug 12 at 7:15 pm, Aug 13 at 10:15 pm, Aug 15 at 10:15 pm. 1-888-328-8384, summerworks.ca.
This freewheeling dollop of experimental theatre from young troupe The Shaker Secessionists is loosely themed around Aristophanes’s ancient comedy The Clouds, but ends up feeling more like a rowdy, disorganized Theatresports workshop.
The four-person ensemble (five if you count the on-stage “director” barking orders) goes for broke in each short scene, but the results skew more silly than funny. They also gorge on avant-garde elements, including audience voting cards to rate each scene, a live projected video feed that doesn’t really add much and a short second act where the cast encourages the audience to party with them on stage.
You’ve gotta give them kudos for effort and spirit, but the whole thing is kind of a messy heap.
