Coming to Toronto Fringe 2009: Brigette’s Bardo

From Press Release                                                         

Brigitte’s Bardo promises a Hell of a Good time at the 2009 Fringe Festival!

Hard enough to figure things out while you’re alive, Brigitte tumbles through the netherworld and takes us with her.

Fresh out of Bondage (Fringe hit, 08) and into Hell, Elaine Smookler, writer/performer, debuts Brigitte’s Bardo a musical comedy based on the Tibetan Book of the Dead at this summer’s Toronto Fringe Festival – July 1 – 12th, 2009.  This romp through the underworld brings together the directorial talents of Scott Norman and original music by Josh Bell.

The Bardos’ are Buddhism’s six types of Hell, seductive and terrifying periods after death and before re-birth, when we pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off and start all over again.  The Tibetan book of the Dead is as much a psychological guide for life as it is an instruction manual for the dearly departed.  Unfortunately, this is all beyond poor Brigitte who accidentally gets herself dead and is catapulted into a journey like no other … and the rest is mystery.

Elaine Smookler is an actor, comedian and singer who has written and performed for stage, screen, radio and television. Her last two Fringe shows (Bondage and Rosemary’s Barbie) both enjoyed a great reception at the Toronto Fringe. She has been a Guest Host on CBC Radio, done stand-up comedy, lots of commercials and spent a season writing and performing comic opinion pieces for TVO’s Imprint. Elaine can soon be seen in the film, The future … it’s so last week and Lovestuck, a short film springing from Bondage.

Show information for Brigitte’s Bardo:
Venue:                               The George Ignatieff Theatre
Performances:                 Friday July 3rd at 3:30pm
                                            Saturday July 4th at 11:00pm
                                            Sunday July 5th at 8:45pm
                                            Wednesday July 8th at 9:30pm
                                            Thursday July 9th at NOON
                                            Friday July 10th at 6:15pm
                                            Saturday July 11th at 1:45pm
Tickets:                              $10
                                            Tickets can be purchased by phone 416 966-1062 or online at
                                            www.torontofringe.com        

Reviews from Fringe 2008 Production Bondage:

*****  – Eye Weekly
"ingenious …universal psychological questions rumble underneath "

Critics’ Pick NNNN – Now
"Smookler …. is emotionally compelling. … the show is engaging, amusing, sophisticated- and spectacularly costumed."

Highly Recommended -  the Toronto Star                                                                             
“… darkly comic … great chemistry …unsettling and compelling ”