By Jay Menard
When is life worth living? When does living merely become existence and, once you reach that point, where’s the value in going on? Do we ever stop living? Or are there always going to be new pomegranates to discover.
Whisper Into My Good Ear is a two-man exploration of the end of life — and the question of whether we should take matters into their own hands, or let nature take its course. Continue reading
By Jay Menard
Bella Culpa — at least according to the Googles — translates as “Beautiful Fault,” and the latest Fringe production by Portland, OR-based A Little Bit Off is a rollicking comedy of “errors” that showcase two masters of modern slapstick.
David Cantor and Amica Hunter play a pair of servants in an Edwardian manor. They wait for the call and command of their off-stage mistress (who delivers her orders in a most Charlie-Brown-parent sort of way.) It is in the execution of these orders — and during the times in between — that hilarity ensues.
The show is a delight for the children in the audience. One young girl in the front row was thoroughly engaged and laughed uproariously throughout. To their credit, Cantor and Hunter acknowledged and incorporated her youthful enthusiasm throughout the production. But it’s by no means a childish show and the adults in the crowd clearly appreciate the humour and technical and physical expertise. Continue reading
By Jay Menard
Often, when it comes to great social issues, we don’t fully understand the importance of what we say and what we do. We vote in isolation — understanding, conceptually, the topic at hand; we choose based on our values and how we define community. But for many of us, the end result is often separated by a degree or so.
For the topic of gay marriage, many of us have friends, family, or colleagues who are gay. Many of us support the cause — or have even been to a few weddings. But for those of us who are not gay, there remains that degree of separation. We can know what’s right; we can know what’s good — but to understand is something different.
LK Theatre’s The Morning After the Life Before tears down that barrier in a production that’s at once funny, sweet, endearing, and heart-wrenching. Ann Blake and Lucia Smyth seamlessly interweave characters, locations, topics, and times in a production that’s a delight to see. Continue reading
By Jay Menard
The Fever is a compelling story of the lies we tell ourselves — either consciously or unconsciously — to justify the lives we enjoy. Lives that are built upon the foundation of other people’s sorrow. And it’s delivered courtesy of a riveting performance by Pat O’Brien.
The Fever was written by Wallace Shawn and is brought to life in this year’s Fringe by the much-ballyhooed O’Brien, who previously wowed with Underneath the Lintel. From the moment the show starts to the final word spoken, O’Brien holds the crowd in the palm of his hand and commands attention from start to finish. Continue reading
By Jay Menard,
With Lights, Camera…. Magic, we have the pleasure of seeing a young magician growing into the spotlight. Thought not 100 per cent there yet, Savio Joseph shows more than enough charisma, talent, and sense of fun to warrant keeping an eye on.
His current Fringe production, Lights, Camera… Magic is an uneven but entertaining ride through magic. Joseph displays an easy-going charm and a self-effacing sense of humour and is adept at slight-of-hand magic and other standard tricks. Continue reading
The M-Dash by Jason Menard 