The Man Who Loved Beer hails from Scotland, with Edinburgh Fringe veteran Kevin P. Gilday. While he waits for a “highly-paid poetry revival” to hit popular culture, Gilday has brought the Toronto Fringe Festival a different kind of solo show than I’ve seen before. Fringe has solo shows aplenty and is no stranger to spoken word; however, this Glasgow native has crafted a gritty autobiographical story of alcoholism, alienation, and personal redemption, told almost entirely in verse.
Mixed Chick is a one woman Toronto Fringe show, written & performed by Toronto’s Coko Galore. The opening performance was nearly sold-out, and those assembled were very energetic and responsive to Galore and her material. This beautifully arranged, funny and well-articulated show explores the politics of identity in the life of a biracial woman whose ancestry is proudly African AND Chinese. Surrounded by those who seek to categorize and limit her, she strives to make her way in the world in a manner that feels personally authentic.
In the Toronto Fringe show Adventures of a Supervet Tech, Sandra Lean-Leighton shares tales from over two decades as a Veterinary Technician. This is a zany, energetic show that packs a few unexpectedly emotional punches. This marriage of Lean-Leighton’s rich background in theatre with the colourful experiences she’s had as a vet tech aims to shed some light on a valuable but underappreciated profession. As she puts it, she takes audiences ‘beyond the furry veil.’
Grade 8 is a solo show by award-winning spoken word artist, Dwayne Morgan, presented as part of the Toronto Fringe Festival. I must confess: I’ve seen ‘Grade 8’ once before. It left quite an impression on me when I caught its premiere run at Hamilton Fringe in 2008. It was the show that truly cemented my love of Fringe. Seven years later, Dwayne Morgan is ready to retire ‘Grade 8,’ but not before giving it a hometown swan song.
Porn & Pinochetis a solo show from Andy Cañete. The strength of this show lies in Cañete’s ‘Everyman’ appeal. He’s willing to be vulnerable. He’s charming and likeable, funny and self-deprecating. He’s the fun guy at the party, spinning tales and keeping everyone laughing. As Cañete reveals right off the top, his background is in stand-up comedy as well as acting, and that style of delivery is very much in evidence throughout the show.
