Samkon and Francis Go Swimming (Part 1) is a charming, odd-couple comedy by Zocalo Toronto playing at the Toronto Fringe Festival. It’s excellent for a Fringe go-er looking for a straight-forward comedy that can still surprise you.

Continue reading Samkon and Francis Go Swimming (Zocalo Toronto) 2012 Toronto Fringe Review →

So nice when my first Fringe show is a comedy – and it makes me laugh.  Peter Carlone and Chris Wilson are a triple quadruple threat duo from Vancouver. They wrote, choreographed, directed and performed The Mystery of the Hungry Heart Motel.

The thing about the mystery is that there is no mystery – the manager did it. I’m not giving anything away here, it’s in the program. Imagine The Hungry Heart Motel as a kinder, funnier, madcap Bates Motel. Makes you want to stay there, doesn’t it? Continue reading Peter n’ Chris and the mystery of the Hungry Heart Motel (Peter n’ Chris) 2012 Toronto Fringe Review →

I saw Mahmoud tonight as part of this year’s Toronto Fringe Festival. This was my second show and so far it’s two for two. I really enjoyed this show and apparently so did the rest of the audience as it was a full house that ended with a standing ovation. Impressive for opening night! Continue reading Mahmoud (Pandemic Theatre) 2012 Toronto Fringe Review →

Before I can write my review of CHRISTCHRISTCHRIST I need to get something out of the way – I’ve never seen a cuter Jesus. Or three cuter Jesuses. Allen (Jamie Ebbs), Michael (Max Tepper), and Phillip (Mark Johnson) are 2012 Toronto Fringe Fest’s Holy Trinity, three sons of God who can act and look good doing it. And Allen is the first to admit it, at one point claiming, “My body’s so good people say ‘Christ’s got a body,’ not ‘the body of Christ.’” Continue reading CHRISTCHRISTCHRIST (Theatre Stendhal) 2012 Toronto Fringe Review →

Two women were engaged in a verbal tug of war as I approached Robert Gill Theatre. They wanted to walk on the shaded side of the street. I wanted to see Viva! a show playing as part of the Toronto Fringe Festival. There are some timeless, universal traits we all share.

Some really cool music was playing as we entered the theatre. It was kind of a fusion of funk and jazz. On stage, Matt (Lee J Poichuk) was asleep on a sofa. I’m not sure if that form of slothful inactivity is universal, but I’ve been guilty of it from time to time.

Continue reading Viva! (Izak Anger Productions) 2012 Toronto Fringe Review →