Trotsky & Hutch: On Patrol did for comedy what real cops do on every shift. They accomplish the near-impossible. Trotsky & Hutch did it at Tarragon Theatre Extra Space. Real cops do it everywhere, all the time, all over the civilized world.

I’m not a fan of improv. For me it seems like a combination of old-school televised wrestling and cheap magic tricks. I’m more interested in watching Three-card Monte with my cuz in Times Square.

Continue reading Trotsky & Hutch: On Patrol (Impatient Theatre Co.) 2011 Toronto Fringe Review →

The truth of the matter is I had a hard time focusing during Gravestone Posse. My mind went on a walk-about, straying to supper decisions and weekend diversions.

Perhaps this has more to do with the format of the work than the substance. This is not a play, but rather a radio faux-drama that was recorded live for future broadcast. The performers wore costumes appropriate to their caricaturized roles but the script was read into microphones. Continue reading Gravestone Posse (The Canadian Space Opera Company) 2011 Toronto Fringe Review →

I’m going to start by saying I can’t be unbiased in this review. There’s not much for me not to like in Jeff Jones’ The Last Rock N’ Roll Show, especially as a writer who counts one of her favorite moments in life as the day she won tickets to see Rammstein four hours before the show. Am I typing with my right hand while my left hand curls into metal horns at the memory? Yes. Continue reading The Last Rock N’ Roll Show (Charcoal Sketch Productions) 2011 Toronto Fringe Review →

My last show of this year’s Fringe was Cendrillon; a modern re-telling of Perrault’s popular fairy tale.

This piece caught me completely by surprise in the best way possible. There is very little dialogue; in fact, Cendrillon only says two words through the entire show. However, there are a lot of booming sound effects and purely acoustic musical pieces that are a mix of punchy pop and classical opera.  All of these sounds create the perfect mood for the show. Continue reading Cendrillon (LastName FirstName Productions & Common Descent) 2011 Toronto Fringe Review →