By George Perry

Sex, drugs and infidelity at Toronto Fringe

It’s Raining in Barcelona is a play about a prostitute interested in Dante, her pimp and one of her “Johns”.  It takes place entirely in trashy bedroom.  I saw the play on Canada Day at Theatre Passe Muraille Mainspace.  Because of the day, and with that sort of subject matter, I was thinking-“Beauty!  A New Trailer Park Boys movie, eh!”

Carlos (Jeffrey Pufahl) reads snippets of poetry written on candy wrappers to Lali.  She perks up whenever she hears verse.  Carlos then stores them under the bed.  There’s always something under the bed.

Leora Joy Godden plays Lali.  She’s received rave raves.  To me she came across like Luba Goy in fishnet stockings.  I thought she was over-acting, more concerned with the mechanics of acting than she was with becoming the character.  I thought she could have gained a lot character depth by visiting one of the filthy dive bars one block south on Queen Street.

Alan Long plays David, the John.  David’s wife is dying, and he seems dead already.  The emotions of this character range from dead to comatose. He’s really weird in an Anthony Perkins/Psycho kind of way.

Pau Miro wrote the play.  He is a “wunderkind” and is to European theatre what Adam Giambrone is or was to the TTC.  It should come as no surprise then that this play involves extramarital affairs, prostitutes and other sordid affairs.

All three actors reside in Saskatchewan.  My image of that province is of a giant wheat farm; a place where seeds are planted and things grow.  I think they’ve achieved something similar with this play.  They’ve planted the seeds of Dante and Pau Miro, and hopefully they will grow.

I did a little extra research about beforehand, embarrassed by my ignorance of Dante.  I expected to come away from the play more enlightened, more inspired.  I wanted to feel as if I had attended a lecture or a museum.  I left a little disappointed, but maybe my expectations were too high.

Details:

–It’s Raining in Barcelona plays at Venue 10 Theatre Passe Muraille Mainspace

60 min.
Thu, July 1 6:30 PM – 1004
Sat, July 3 9:15 PM – 1018
Sun, July 4 5:15 PM – 1023
Tue, July 6 10:45 PM – 1038
Wed, July 7 6:00 PM – 1042
Thu, July 8 9:15 PM – 1051
Sat, July 10 3:30 PM – 1062

– All individual Fringe tickets are $10 ($5 for FringeKids) at the door (cash only). Tickets are available online at www.fringetoronto.com, by Phone at 416-966-1062, in person at The Randolph Centre for the Arts, 736 Bathurst Street (Advance tickets are $11 ($10+$1 convenience fee)
– Several money-saving passes are available if you plan to see at least 5 shows