Somewhere after Fred Penner, Sharon & Bram, and the Wiggles on the list of World’s Greatest Children’s Musicians you will find the (thankfully) fictional group, Hootenany. This duo, played wonderfully by Kate Smith and Will Somers, bring life to a clear and intentional satire of children’s entertainers on levels that develop obviously in the subject matter … Continue reading “Hootenanny” Turns Technical Difficulties into Success
“Hootenanny!” is a Comical Commentary on Children’s Entertainers
How do you resist a show that stars the local talents of Kate Smith and Will Somers and that’s also directed by Ottawa Fringe favourite Melanie Karin-Brown? The answer is you don’t. Hootenanny! remains a bit of an anomaly here at the 2015 Ottawa Fringe Festival due to the fact that this is a show … Continue reading “Hootenanny!” is a Comical Commentary on Children’s Entertainers
“Hootenanny!” Makes for an Hour Well Spent
Hootenanny! (playing at Arts Court Theatre), with its blend of clever music and dark humour, makes for an hour well spent. Hootenanny! is a performance by two Australian children’s entertainers, Hoot and Annie, bouncing back from Hoot’s recent criminal charge selling cocaine to minors – the latest in a long string of misdemeanours, and the … Continue reading “Hootenanny!” Makes for an Hour Well Spent
“In on It” Has Little to Recommend
Whenever a pre-established script is produced at Fringe, there is usually an expectation that the director is doing something new with it or some other innovative twist has been thrown into the mix. Daniel MacIvor’s In on It, however, originally produced in Edinburgh in 2000, has little to recommend in this respect. Like most of … Continue reading “In on It” Has Little to Recommend
“Junior Sleuths” Will Tickle Your Funny Bone
A ridiculous foray into a mixed-up world where junior detectives like Nancy Drew, Encyclopedia Brown, and the Hardy Boys teach the police their business, while also showing more of their human dark side than those blue-bound hardcover books ever let on. Junior Sleuths, written by Richard Hemphill, is really funny. I read all those books as … Continue reading “Junior Sleuths” Will Tickle Your Funny Bone
“Two Girls, One Corpse” is a Comedy that Speaks to Millennials
Members of the millennial generation will certainly get a good time out of seeing Two Girls, One Corpse, a show that feels like an extended, wittily written sitcom episode. Meet Marissa and Michelle, two twenty-something roommates on their way to Marissa’s ex’s wedding. After shameless amounts of drinking and a very cleverly-designed and well-executed series … Continue reading “Two Girls, One Corpse” is a Comedy that Speaks to Millennials
“The Cockwhisperer” is Funny and Entertaining
For a show that puts up something of a bawdy front (just check out the title), The Cockwhisperer makes very valid points about the condition of publicly-funded sex education and the need to appreciate the relationship aspect of sexual relationships as much (if not more) than the sex. In this solo storytelling show Colette Kendall … Continue reading “The Cockwhisperer” is Funny and Entertaining
“Damaged Goods” a Symphony of Breath and Body
Damaged Goods, choreographed by Jocelyn Todd, is a contemporary dance show. It consists of two clearly distinct pieces of pure physical prowess that explore the ability of the body to tell stories. Dance is not my medium. But every time I encounter a piece that does not rely on words to create its narrative, I … Continue reading “Damaged Goods” a Symphony of Breath and Body
Shit! I’m in Love with You Again is a Fun Ride
From the opening strums of the guitar to its closing notes, Shit! I’m in Love with You Again delivers a highly polished product that never drops in energy despite its conventional themes. With the help of guitarist Luke Jackson, Rachelle Elie tells the autobiographical story of her discovery of and relationships with the opposite sex, … Continue reading Shit! I’m in Love with You Again is a Fun Ride
“Pachiv!” Displays Fragility On Stage
A party/housewarming/play, Pachiv! shows that while we try to put on a happy face in front of strangers, the problems that eat away at our happiness continue to affect us. If you find yourself at Academic Hall (Venue 3 in the Fringe program), point yourself south past Tabaret Hall (the big, stately university building) and … Continue reading “Pachiv!” Displays Fragility On Stage
The New Ottawa Critics 