Let Me Freeze Your Head (Neil McArthur) 2016 Toronto Fringe Review

photo of Neil McArthur in Let Me Freeze Your Head

Neil McArthur wants to freeze your head and make you live forever. As part of the Toronto Fringe Festival 2016 at the Helen Gardiner Phelan Playhouse, Let Me Freeze Your Heard is a convincing call for cryonic preservation. Attend this info-session for more information about how this service can buy you more time on earth.

Passionate salesman and personal user of Cryoncor brain-storing services, Neil McArthur will come right to your seat and shake your hand. He’ll share his story behind this scientific and spiritual undertaking. To get his sales pitch across, he uses simple objects on stage: a step ladder that becomes a straight ladder, a baseball mound and a walker, heads of customers that come out as the story unfolds, as well as handwritten letters that symbolize real exchange and intimacy. McArthur’s black suit and corporate manner tie it altogether, leading us to believe we’re about to make the purchase of our lives.

To illustrate the discovery and need for this preservation, Neil will talk about its eastern European inventor Angelika, major league baseball player Ted Williams who may end up with more time to spend with his son John Henry, and his former girlfriend Gwen with whom he frequently debated through snail mail. These four people are perfect candidates for Cryoncor services, as they should have more opportunities to make real, genuine connections.

Much of Let Me Freeze Your Heard is forged by social commentary on today’s global capitalist system in which we work, earn, shop at big box stores, and save, and we are reassured of the validity of this lifestyle with rewards points and sensational bucket lists. Caught up in this rat race? Get your head preserved and buy more time to make authentic connections with people. On your bucket list,  jot down “spend more time with people whom you care about” and Cryoncor will make that happen.

Upon leaving this sales session, you’ll receive the Cryoncor business card. I’d encourage you to check out cryoncor.com and if you make a purchase, keep this card on you 24/7. You’ll have five minutes after your heart stops to have your head preserved with a special solution.

Let Me Freeze Your Head

Heads up: this is a must-see for this year’s Fringe Festival. It’s thought-provoking and original, and I almost gave out my credit card number at the end.

Details

  • Let Me Freeze Your Head plays at the Helen Gardiner Phelan Playhouse. (79 St. George St)
  • Tickets $12. The festival also offers a range of money-saving passes for serious Fringers.
  • Tickets can be purchased online, by telephone (416-966-1062), from the Fringe Club at Honest Ed’s Alley, and — if any remain — from the venue’s box office starting one hour before curtain.
  • Be aware that Fringe performances always start exactly on time, and that latecomers are never admitted.
  • Content Warning: Mature Language.
  • This venue is wheelchair-accessible.

Performances

  • Sunday July 3rd, 09:45 pm
  • Tuesday July 5th, 04:15 pm
  • Thursday July 7th, 07:45 pm
  • Friday July 8th, 04:00 pm
  • Saturday July 9th, 04:00 pm

Photo of Neil McArthur by Leif Norman

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