Dispatches from the Victoria Fringe 2016. Day One. Victoria Fringe Festival August 22-September 4, 2016.
Review of The Old Lady’s Guide to Survival: Site A–Congregational Emanu-el, 1461 Blanshard Street.
Reviews of The Jupiter Rebellion: A Zach Zultana Adventure by Jeff Leard, An Improvised Quentin Tarantino 2–The Playful 8 by Paper Street Theatre Co, Perpetural Wednesday by White Collar Crimes and Half the Battle by Owen Bishop. All at venue 1–the Victoria Event Centre, 1415 Broad Street.
As always, my complete Victoria Fringe Festival 2016 coverage can be found HERE:
Be sure to page through since there are dozens of entries–previews, and picks, as well as reviews. I have written 17 previews of shows I will either most likely not see, or will see too late in the festival to write reviews. I hope to post reviews daily of shows I’ve seen the day/night before–some days are “show heavy” and it may take a day or two to catch up. My final reviews will be posted Friday September 2nd.
FRINGE TIPS:
- The first few days of Fringe are a wonderful way to “front load” the Fringe experience–the last weekend (Thurs/Fri/Sat/Sun) tends to be very busy, and many shows sell-out their advance tickets (although 50% of the tickets are reserved for sales at the venue IF you are prepared to line up well in advance). If a show you really wanted to see is completely sold out, please–take a chance on a show by an unknown or lesser known artist. That, to me, is the true joy of the Fringe–the unexpected and pleasant surprises.
- Don’t forget–you need a Fringe button ($6). One of the guiding principles of the Canadian Association of Fringe Festivals CAFFTM is that all ticket sales go directly to the artists. The sale of Fringe buttons helps Intrepid Theatre produce the festival.
- Don’t be LATE–the show WILL start without you.
- Embrace the line-up. Get to know your fellow Fringers. Many a friendship has been made as a result of a casual conversation.
The Old Lady’s Guide to Survival by Bema Productions, Victoria BC
Falling outside my schedule as it did, I was grateful for an invitation to the dress rehearsal of The Little Old Lady’s Guide to Survival by Bema Productions. Wendy Magahay and Christine Upright are two of my favourite actors—Magahay often portraying patrician or neurotic mothers and Upright the master of disguise (as seen by multiple characters over the years in Sin City the Live Improvised Serial). I couldn’t wait to see what a collaboration would yield under the skillful direction of Zelda Dean (less well known to Victoria audiences but with a long career in theatre). Dean always sees the abiding human side to a character’s story—a trait that keeps this play from falling into the oft-repeated caricature of “little old lady”.
Netty (Magahay) and Shprintzy (Upright) are two old women (although now being 62 I’m not sure 73 fits my definition of “old”), each facing the march of time—Netty, the more caustic and world-weary of the two, is losing her sight; Shprintzy (greenhorn in Yiddish), her mind. Inhabitants of the same apartment building, their paths cross one morning at the bus stop. How they combine forces—even if reluctantly on the part of Netty—is the essence of the story.
Given the odd-couple nature of their relationship, the script, by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Mayo Simon makes ample use of comedy to highlight the differences—Netty unfailing in her adherence to strict social convention and attire, Shprintzy ever the free-spirit in dress, her child-like love of life, and willingness to live in the moment.
Magahay and Upright lean in to their characters’ symbiotic need for one another, unafraid to wait through the uncomfortable moments—what results is terrific comedy and heart-breaking tragedy—deftly touched upon. For any audience member over 60, the inevitable ravages of time can be either well understood or potentially terrifying territory—this cast and director create a space for both experiences. The Old Lady’s Guide to Survival is funny, inspiring, and uplifting while holding to some of life’s hard truths.
Location: Congregation Emanu-El (Fringe Site A)
Created: Mayo Simon
Tickets: Advance price: Regular $11/ St & Sr $9 + s/c* Door price: Regular $11/ St & Sr $9
Duration: 75 mins
Rating: 18+ Adult content
Genre: Dramedy
Remaining shows:
Sun Aug 28 – 2:00pm
Tue Aug 30 – 7:00pm
Wed Aug 31 – 7:00pm
Thu Sep 1 – 7:00pm
Sun Sep 4– 2:00pm
The Jupiter Rebellion created by Ron Fromstein & Jeff Leard, Vancouver BC
Also at the Vancouver Fringe September 8-18, 2016.
Jeff Leard, now a veteran of the Fringe circuit (Sperm Wars, Gametes and Gonads, the Show Must Go On), never fails to impress with his uncanny kinetic ability to portray multiple characters with voice inflections guaranteed to bring ready laughs.
The Jupiter Rebellion, written in collaboration with Ron Fromstein, takes Leard’s signature frenetic and highly physical style to another level with the introduction of advanced narration techniques, as he steps outside the action to draw highly detailed word pictures to situate the story.
Zach Zultana is a space miner on Jupiter—a drudge for whom the unassailable quiet of space, and the inevitable boredom brought on by mind-numbing routine, are abruptly broken one day when a mysterious and gorgeous woman, Alex(andra) makes eyes across the room at him in the local dive-bar The Milky Way Café.
Soon Zach is whisked away on a state-of-the-art space ship, deep in the thrall of hormones and Alex’s delicious scent of lavender. Surrounded by space, for a few idyllic days they bond over a mutual hatred of Rocket Man and love of illicit sex—Alex is “working” on a divorce from her mysterious husband.
Back at work, it becomes all too apparent just who the mysterious husband is as Zach is demoted. Discontent among the miners leads to talk of a strike and Zach becomes a figure head of the movement.
Perfect exposition, finely tuned portrayals—Nikolai the Slavic giant and Zach’s friend, Martin the crusty one-armed old-timer, Harlan Sanders—the evil boss, Frank Verner the sympathetic foreman—and high energy under girded with referential deference to the science fiction genre produce a story that is sure to please both aficionados of solo shows and sci-fi.
Leard is cheeky and adept—a winning combination for any Fringe show.
Location: Victoria Event Centre (Fringe Venue 1)
Tickets: Advance price: All Seats $11 + s/c* Door price: All Seats $11
Duration: 60 mins
Rating: PG 14+ Coarse Language /Adult Themes
Genre: Comedy
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