George has always been passionate about theatre, but didn’t know it. As a young boy he was mesmerized by professional wrestling. “Rowdy” Roddy Piper was an early role model. Shortly thereafter, the explosive histrionics of Pete Townshend would supersede this Canadian icon. George’s attention later turned to American theatre. Jello Biafra became a seminal influence. The “Do It Yourself” ethic was firmly embraced by Perry, and he ventured into the vast repetoire of artists like Paul Westerberg and Steve Albini. As a young adult, he was re-introduced to the works of Townshend. His then girlfriend, Michelle, was hugely impressed by the theatrical production of The Who’s “Tommy”. He meandered through factories, schools, border towns and Michigan for a very long time afterwards. He eventually landed in Toronto. All these influences were brought together in one kettle when George discovered Mooney on Theatre. He understands and personifies that theatre is indeed for everyone. To further this end goal, he contributes.
If you’ve ever seen the movie Midnight Express and thought to yourself “what if the lead character were Canadian, instead of American?” then Kuwaiti Moonshine is the Fringe play for you.
The movie almost literally destroyed Turkish tourism. Kuwaiti Moonshine, on the other hand, might encourage a few brave, rich Canadians to visit Kuwait. Both involve stories of North Americans partaking of banned substances in very foreign countries. Both men serve time in prison.
Mina Samuels calls New York City home, and Toronto is fortunate to have her as a visitor for this year’s Fringe. She performs her fascinating one-woman show Hazards at The Helen Gardiner Phelan Playhouse, and you should go see it.
Hazards is sort of two plays in one. The first half is very absurdist. Samuels literally crawls onto the stage, eventually becoming upright and walking. She points an imaginary gun at her head and shoots herself. Then things get really interesting.
When I walked into the George Ignatieff Theatre to see Fear Factor: Canine Edition, I hated the world. I had a white flag halfway up the mast, ready to surrender. Bad weather, bad health, and the usual loss of three hours to move one kilometer. My vision was narrowing. This was the end!
Fortunately for me my next Fringe show was a monologue by John Grady. I can’t for the life of me remember why I booked this show. That’s irrelevant now, because I’m going to remember it for a very long time, probably forever.
Most people hear clichés like “No pain, no gain “and “Work hard and you’ll get ahead” all the time. Most of us take this advice with a grain of salt. Jonah Allison, performing his one-person Fringe show Network 54: Sports R4U, reminds us that in the world of junior hockey in Canada, words like these aren’t adages- they are gospel.
Allison’s show is being performed at a temple where The Toronto Maple Leafs used to play, Maple Leaf Gardens. If there is a more storied venue in Canada, I’ve never heard of it. If there is something more intrinsic to Canadians than hockey, and trying to be good parents, I’m oblivious to it. So when I first looked at the Fringe schedule and saw the blurb for this play, I immediately knew that it was “game on”!
Mo and Jess Kill Susie is the first play I have seen at The Toronto’s Fringe Festival 2013. It might also be the best play I’ve ever seen at Fringe. It’s a site specific play with performances happening at the lower level of Trinity-St. Paul’s. When the play finished, I dried my eyes then contacted my editors. My message was simple: I love this play!
The cast of three is all female, and the audience was at least 80 per cent female on the night I attended. Don’t get the wrong idea though: Mo and Jess Kill Susie is anything but a stroller convention. This could very well be the most intense, violent play I have seen.
