The No Bull$#!% History of Invention, playing at the St. Vladimir Institute during the Toronto Fringe Festival, is a stylistic sequel of sorts to company The House of Style’s The No Bull$#!% History of Canada. It’s a lighthearted lecture that takes the audience through some of our greater and lesser-known world-changing inventions, and the fascinating men and women who came up with (or stole) them. Unlike the brassiere or toilet, it’s probably not going to change your world, but like the telephone, it’s a perfectly nice way to spend an hour of your time.
Yearly Archives: 2016
Plays in Cafes (Shadowpath) 2016 Toronto Fringe Review
Plays in Cafes has returned to this year’s Toronto Fringe Festival, this time with three new short pieces all set within the confines of Free Times Cafe on College.
The concept is simple: three plays that take place between two people while surrounded by an audience partaking in Free Times’ fare. This year Alex Karolyi returns with one piece, while Chris Widden and Sheila Toller bring new voices to the program. It appears that this year Shadowpath decided to step away from the domestic themes of 2015 and instead chose a more surrealist approach.
Continue reading Plays in Cafes (Shadowpath) 2016 Toronto Fringe Review
Life List (Acky-Made) 2016 Toronto Fringe Review
When I picked up my ticket for Alex Eddington’s Life List at the Toronto Fringe Festival from the tent outside of the Randolph Theatre, I wasn’t sure what to expect. All I knew was that it had something to do with birdwatching. From there I was directed to continue walking past Markham Street and look for the rest of the group. A few metres later, I met up with Alex and the other participants who had already gathered. Continue reading Life List (Acky-Made) 2016 Toronto Fringe Review
Alpha Delta 86 (Can Ducks Fly Theatre) 2016 Toronto Fringe Review
In a world where love is a crime, the two intrepid women of Alpha Delta 86 — a covert espionage unit — use every tool at their disposal to root out illicit feelings and ensure everyone keeps their hands to themselves.
The trouble is, they’d rather just eat cookies.
This low-key clown show won’t appeal to everyone, but it sort of snuck up behind me, appealing more and more as it went on, and by the end I was smiling. If you’re open to something quieter, and you’re a fan of physical and imaginative storytelling, this is a neat little hour.
Continue reading Alpha Delta 86 (Can Ducks Fly Theatre) 2016 Toronto Fringe Review
Falling Awake (RAGMOP) 2016 Toronto Fringe Review
As I walked into the Extraspace at Tarragon Theatre, the stage was adorned with a bed standing up vertically facing the audience, a clothesline holding various garments, and a small breakfast table ornamented with coffee cups and a newspaper. Jazz music from the 1930s played, giving the play a ragtime feel, and immediately Falling Awake was beginning before the stage lights went down.
This is the first time the company RAGMOP has performed in Toronto and therefore the 2016 Toronto Fringe Festival, and it was a definitely a beneficial addition to the festival!
Continue reading Falling Awake (RAGMOP) 2016 Toronto Fringe Review