When I first read the synopsis of After Life, I thought, great, another one-grrl show. The plot sounded suspiciously like an after-school special: one woman (Candy Simmons) takes on three stereotypical roles: the childless 1920s midwife, the bubbly 50s homemaker, and the tightly wound modern-day film producer. I expected heavy-handed social commentary (my body’s nobody’s body but mine.) Thankfully, I was disappointed. The midwife is a murderer, the homemaker a secret yoga convert and the film producer, well she’s an asshole. Continue reading Toronto Fringe Review: AfterLife – Glen Morris Studio→
Rob’s production company is Ten Foot Pole Productions – Ten Foot Pole Productions is a theatre company dedicated to telling stories about subjects that polite people wouldn’t touch with a ten-foot pole. I wish I’d thought of that.
So, first a warning – if you’re homophobic and/or a big C conservative you’ll be offended by the show.
It was an inauspicious start. We were waiting for the house to open when they announced that there was a slight delay due to technical difficulties. A few minutes later the doors opened and we were asked to fill the seats from the front to the back because the projector wasn’t working and Rob was going to have to use the laptop. The poor man. Can you imagine having to do your amazing power point projection using a laptop – just the laptop, no projector?
Candy Simmons of Afterlife to the rescue! She fixed the projector and the show went on as planned.
TransCanada ’69, playing at Royal St George’s Auditorium, is billed as a celebration of ‘the 40th anniversary of the summer of ’69 with the songs of Neil Young, Joni MItchell, Gordon Lightfoot, … Leonard Cohen.” Colin Godbout is an amazing guitarist.
Maybe it was the set adorned with a buffalo-themed throw, cowboy hat and totem pole, but I had a feeling I Am Not Neil Young at Holy Joe’s was going to be a source of great cheese. I wasn’t disappointed. I am Not Neil Young offers 60s ballads, group participation and Frank Wilkes with a huge, infectious smile who, after introducing himself, says ‘This is a story about transformation. But who will be transformed? You and or me?” So who is Frank Wilkes? He certainly isn’t Neil Young, but if you close your eyes while he’s singing it’s hard to tell the difference. Continue reading Toronto Fringe Review – I Am Not Neil Young – Holy Joe's→
It’s Just a Phase was a pretty great show to start the festival with. I’m never envious of the first show of Fringe, especially not on the first day of Fringe. So, the fact that I enjoyed this performance bodes well for It’s Just a Phase, since it’s only going to get better from here.
