Tonight I saw Mullet’s Ghost Story by meMullet at the 2016 Toronto Fringe Festival.

The show centers around Jean-Paul Mullet, a zombie clown, who tries to tell the audience a ghost story but ends up resurrecting the ghost of his past lover, played by Hilary June Hart. In this comedy, the audience gets to see the both of them rekindle their oddball romance.

Rather than being set in a typical theatre, the show is performed at The Harbord House. I loved it; nothing beats having a plate of hot food while watching a show. Food aside, the environment was incredibly inviting. I’ll admit, sitting next to a stranger at a bar was uncomfortable at the beginning, but this crowd of Mullet fans were all great people, and I realized that I had become part of the community while watching the show.

The play begins with Jean-Paul Mullet, a frantic (but ultimately lovable) zombie clown, running up the stairs and immediately grabbing my attention. To someone who has never seen anything from meMullet productions, Mullet is  truly captivating. Everything from what he wears to his nasal lisp is incredibly well thought out, creating an amazing character.

And by no means does he overshadow the performance of partner Hilary June Hart, who is just as entertaining to watch. In fact, it is a short song about love, performed by both of them, that made the show memorable for me because of how well it flows with the entire show. The simple strums of the ukulele with their voices allowed me to get lost in images of them at sea.
What makes the show strong isn’t just that Allan Turner provides such a great performance as Mullet, but that everything about the piece works well together, leading me to understand how harmonious the entire show is. The aesthetics of the show are also incredibly well thought out to ensure that the audience  is able to easily visualize a rustic and nautical environment – Mullet did die at sea after all.

By the end of the show, I understood that the feeling of community was not accidental but was intentionally created. As Mullet walked around talking to us, sometimes trying to tell us a ghost story or feed us salad, we were more than just an audience – we became part of the show. This intention was reinforced in the moment that Hilary ran around touching audience members out of sheer astonishment that she could feel things. I don’t know if the audience is meant to be seen as characters or props, but it was great to be included.

I spoke to Mullet after the show, in fact, he approached me! Nothing fancy, just a nice thank you for coming, but great nonetheless. The kindness I felt in that room is something I hope carries me through the rest of The Fringe Festival.

If you get a chance to catch this show, I highly recommend it. It’s an experience you’ll remember!

Details

• Mullet’s Ghost Story plays at Harbord House. (150 Harbord St.)
• Tickets are $12 at the door and in advance, and can be bought online, by telephone (416-966-1062), from the Fringe Club at Honest Ed’s Alley, and — if any remain — from the venue’s box office starting one hour before curtain. The festival also offers a range of money-saving passes for serious Fringers.
• Be aware that Fringe performances always start exactly on time, and that latecomers are never admitted.
• Content Warning: Audience Participation.

Performances

• Wednesday June 29th, 09:30 pm
• Thursday June 30th, 09:30 pm
• Friday July 1st, 09:30 pm
• Saturday July 2nd, 09:30 pm
• Sunday July 3rd, 09:30 pm
• Monday July 4th, 09:30 pm
• Tuesday July 5th, 09:30 pm
• Wednesday July 6th, 09:30 pm
• Thursday July 7th, 09:30 pm
• Friday July 8th, 09:30 pm
• Saturday July 9th, 09:30 pm
• Sunday July 10th, 09:30 pm

Photo of Jean-Paul Mullét by FeeGunn