Aplombusrhombus blew Fringe audiences away this past summer with their hilarious, yet heartbreaking pantomime show Cardinal and now dynamic duo Madeleine Hall and Mitchell Rose are here at the Fresh Meat Theatre Festival presenting their creepy comedy “Oh No!” said the parrot. Creating a universe in which humor and horror exist on the same spectrum, … Continue reading “’Oh No!’ Said the Parrot”, “Oh, Yes!” Said the Critic
“7 Minutes in Heaven”: A Highly Intimate Performance for One
Madeleine Boyes-Manseau has created a uniquely extravagant seven-minutes closet/boudoir for this production that, true to its billing, is indeed a highly intimate performance for one. In 7 Minutes in Heaven, Boyes-Manseau explores this theme of intimacy, particularly in its relation to the objectification of our bodies and to desire. Rather than tell you the … Continue reading “7 Minutes in Heaven”: A Highly Intimate Performance for One
Will Somers Plays to His Strengths in “Pierre Brault”
There is a back-story to this piece that informs its content without requiring knowledge of its particulars. I’ll include this back-story later on, because, I’m sure Will Somers is sick to death of explaining this context, and moreover, it isn’t the point. The point is that in this show, Will Somers reveals something truly resonant … Continue reading Will Somers Plays to His Strengths in “Pierre Brault”
“Crow’s Nest” a Promising Hatchling
Rapscallion Diversion’s Crow’s Nest has its issues in its current 20-minute incarnation, but these issues don’t hide its potential as a more developed, ‘feature-length’ play. Crow’s Nest takes up the story of Donald Crowhurst, a British amateur sailor who entered the first ever nonstop round-the-world sailboat competition in 1968. Despite his lack of experience, he … Continue reading “Crow’s Nest” a Promising Hatchling
“TEAD Talks” Has Lots of Character, Lacks Substance
Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the last 4-ish years, you’ve probably watched a TED Talk or two. Deborah Ring, in her new piece TEAD Talks, pokes fun at TED’s very familiar segment style and through some comedic performances enlightens her audience about “Ideas Not Worth Spreading”. While the characterizations are certainly entertaining … Continue reading “TEAD Talks” Has Lots of Character, Lacks Substance
“Boy vs. Chair” Embraces the Spirit of Fresh Meat
Two Kind Boys, riding the wave of their successful Ottawa Fringe debut Rideshares and Rope Swings, are rather less successful with their Fresh Meat debut Boy vs. Chair, though Fresh Meat is the perfect venue to get as experimental as this show does. The basic premise is explained pretty succinctly by the title, but the … Continue reading “Boy vs. Chair” Embraces the Spirit of Fresh Meat
‘Unzipping the Cat’: a Profound Reflection on Death and Pets
Statistically speaking, in 2014, more than half of Canadian households owned pets; which means that most people have probably been a pet owner at some point in their life (if not currently). Being a pet owner comes with its own set of unique responsibilities and relationships that Kevin Reid explores in his new piece Unzipping … Continue reading ‘Unzipping the Cat’: a Profound Reflection on Death and Pets
Trek Into ‘Darkness’ at Fresh Meat 5
Are you afraid of the dark? Creator-performers John Doucet and Manon St-Jules (under the direction of co-creator Julie Le Gal) explore théâtre sans lumières in their new piece aptly titled Darkness. The piece itself does not take place on the ‘mainstage’ in the Studio lobby of Arts Court, but, in fact, in a rather small closet … Continue reading Trek Into ‘Darkness’ at Fresh Meat 5
‘Three’: Shows Skill and Sophistication of Improv Performers
Three presents an hilarious balance of improvised and scripted comedy that profits from the skill with which it straddles this boundary. Plants, a new company comprised of improv veterans, has brought its members' shared experience to bear on a loosely scripted piece that in its structure reminds me of a short story sequence, where each … Continue reading ‘Three’: Shows Skill and Sophistication of Improv Performers
‘SS Lightbulb’: Pleasantly Odd
This show was my pick for the weekend because I thought it might be odd. It was, and I was thoroughly pleased by its oddness. Second Step says they were formed from a desire to experiment and explore the ideas and techniques on stage that they’d always wanted to try. SS Lightbulb is a … Continue reading ‘SS Lightbulb’: Pleasantly Odd
The New Ottawa Critics 