Fíbín Teo, all the way from the west coast of Ireland, have brought us the bilingual The Blind Seal / An Rón Dall: an exercise in storytelling; an opportunity to watch an artist at work; a little taste of Irish folklore and culture; and a unique offering from the Toronto Fringe Festival. All said, it’s a delightful way to spend an afternoon.
As the artist paints and musicians play, two readers (one working in English, the other in Gaeilge) retell the centuries-old legend of the blind seal. All three work in tandem to build the story. The words relate to the art, while the music adds emphasis to both.
Buffering… skewers modern intellectual property laws by “working with the scraps of the public domain: a princess, a witch, and a live audience.” The play, staged at Theatre Passe Muraille, during Toronto Fringe opens in a mythical realm faced with impending financial doom (it’s not the EU). A rhyme-happy “Fool” (AJ Vaage) functions as the accountant for the land, and takes stock of its grim fiscal prospects:
“Since we’re balls-deep in debt, and nothing is free, I hereby beget these austerity measures three.”
Fresh out of the Second City Academy, the ensemble cast of All the World’s a Stage of Grief (playing at the Randolph Theatre) is energetic and eager to please. Billed as “Toronto’s hottest up-and-coming comedic performers”, the cast skates through an hour of sketch comedy, sings a few songs, and throws in a little audience participation for good measure.
Dina: The Burlapped Crusader (Footpath Productions), staged at Theatre Passe Muraille during this year’s Toronto Fringe Festival, encourages audience members to enter the theatre sans the expected (and sometimes ignored) digital etiquette, by leaving our cell phones on. I found myself strangely reluctant to do so.
Many of us no longer trust our sketchy neighbours, the awkward person that makes eye contact on the subway or the weirdo who greets everyone with a booming “good morning!” This story about real human connection is explored through what is probably the biggest cause of our disconnection – our personal electronics.
