Return (Curiosity Collective) 2014 Toronto Fringe Review

Caitlin Hutt, Laura Piccinin & Alyssa BartlettWhat makes people who they are? And how does society strive to mould us to a certain form that goes directly against our human nature? This concept is explored in Curiosity Collective‘s dance/physical theatre piece Return at the Toronto Fringe Festival.

During the course of 50 minutes we see a girl grow into womanhood – from being born to becoming a young woman. She doesn’t fit in as a child, and turns to popular culture – which pushes beauty products and “reality” television on her. She’s then a teenager facing backlash after a drunken tryst at a party. She leaves town, turns to partying and alcohol, etc. Continue reading Return (Curiosity Collective) 2014 Toronto Fringe Review

When All is Said and Get Served (Alexandra Elliott Dance) 2014 Toronto Fringe Review

When All is Said and Get Served is a contemporary dance double bill playing at the Al Green Theatre as part of the Toronto Fringe Festival. Choreographed by dancer Alexandra Elliott, these two performances explore the nuances of human communication. Did they manage to communicate and capture the audience? Not quite.

Continue reading When All is Said and Get Served (Alexandra Elliott Dance) 2014 Toronto Fringe Review

A Quest of Character (Kid Safe Productions) 2014 Toronto Fringe Review

quest of character cast

Queued at Palmerston Library for A Quest of Character, my four-year-old son Stanley – my regular Kid + 1 Toronto Fringe Festival review partner – asked whether this show would have singing? Yes, I replied. And dancing too? Yes. Would there be puppets? Why yes, yes there would. Confidently he declared “Then I will like it!” And indeed, he mostly did, and mostly so did I.

Continue reading A Quest of Character (Kid Safe Productions) 2014 Toronto Fringe Review

Fringe for Free! Toronto Fringe ticket giveaways for shows playing on Sunday, July 6th

fringe for free graphic Good news! The Toronto Fringe Festival is selling better than ever!

Bad news!

The city is littered with “SOLD OUT” signs and disappointed theatregoers.

Never mind, though: you’ve got Fringe for Free, where — thanks to our partner companies — we bring the tickets to you!

For every day of the festival, we give out tickets to up to 5 shows. Exciting, right? What’s even more exciting is how easy it is to enter – you can enter each of the five contests by sending us an email (more details below).

Remember, you need to enter each contest individually.

If we pick your name, you’ve got two tickets heading your way. Check out the list of the 5 shows playing on Sunday July 6 after the jump. Continue reading Fringe for Free! Toronto Fringe ticket giveaways for shows playing on Sunday, July 6th

Little Miss Understood (Sandcastle Theatre) 2014 Toronto Fringe Review

Little Miss Understood

Little Miss Understood from Sandcastle Theatre is playing at St Vlad’s Theatre as part of Toronto Fringe 2014. I love St Vlad’s, it’s always really cold and I’m usually really warm so for me it’s a gift in the middle of summer. For normal people there are blankets.

Little Miss Understood is a glimpse into the relationship between  a mother and her 14 year-old daughter. It’s written by Stephanie Fowler (the mother) and performed by Stephanie and her daughter (Beatrice Fowler Campbell). The show is delightful; the performers work well together and are comfortable on the stage.

Continue reading Little Miss Understood (Sandcastle Theatre) 2014 Toronto Fringe Review