THEATRE REVIEWS: TORONTO FRINGE II
5 Jul'10

JOHN COULBOURN - QMI Agency

Ironically, for many serious Fringe-goers, the worst thing an artist can do is offer up a show in which the artist takes his show — or his audience, for that matter — too seriously. All of which means it's a good idea when planning a Fringe show to keep a few things in mind — things like: People go to the theatre hoping for more than the chance to hear someone else's cellphone ring-tone and; If you want to produce a healthy bottom line, never lose sight of the fact that laughter can be the best medicine. Herewith, a look at a few 2010 Fringe offerings tamed squarely at tickling your funny bone.

THE SHAKESPEARE SHOW, Or How An Illiterate Son Of A Glover Became The Greatest Playwright In The World, playing at the Bathurst Street Theatre: Playwright Ryan Gladstone teams up with fellow performer Tara Travis to take a less than serious look at allegations that old Will Shakespeare was in fact merely fronting for the Earl Of Oxford, an Elizabethan nobleman who suffered from a serious case of itchy pen fingers. Although they never venture anywhere near the kind of in-depth investigative journalism the History Channel might demand, they do create enough comedic sound and fury in the laughter department that even good old Queen Bess seems royally entertained in the end. Amongst other inspired madness, look for a rendition of God Save The Queen that's almost good enough for Woodbine — and a guest appearance by the weird sisters that's truly inspired in its divine loopiness.

AOMEGA, playing at the Factory Theatre Mainspace: Right off the top, let's admit that when it comes to playing silly buggers, writer/performer Daniel Nimmo is seriously gifted. Watching him in full Peewee Herman mode, discoursing on existentialism while stage managing the aerial dogfight that's going on between the two model airplanes tethered to his body is little short of bliss for anyone who likes there theatre with a heavy dollop of fun. But though Nimmo, in collaboration with director Jack Grinhaus, seems to tap into a comedic motherlode very early on, he fails to appreciate that the old adage about leaving the audience wanting more has its limitations — and 30 minutes more is, quite frankly, stretching things.

1/4 LIFE CRISIS, playing at the Annex Theatre: Writer/performer Alison Lynne Ward has followed all the rules in this Fringe show, apparently writing about what she knows and then performing it with understated wit, grace and charm, not to mention a good measure of disarming candour as well. But in a world where even Carrie Bradshaw needs the adventures of three sidekicks to hold her audience's attention, the low lustre sheen achieved here by director Robert Sterling fails to elevate the travails of Ms Ward's life — apparently stalled in the single occupancy lane on the road to nowhere — to the level of high art. That said, one suspects that a lot of women of a certain age will have more than a few 'Ah-hah' moments, sharing her story.

MAUDE-LYNNE SELLS OUT!, playing at the Factory Studio Theatre: There's a lot that's likeable in this silly little tale of a self-obsessed Emily Bronte junkie with a weird name (played by Morgan Norwich, who co-authored the script with director Johnnie Walker) and her keyboard-playing sidekick (played by Peter Cavell). The two are holed-up in the basement of Maude-Lynne's mother's home and while preparations are underway upstairs for her sister's wedding, the two of them are making one last stab at independence by selling everything they own — and a lot of stuff they don't. But even though there's more than a bit of charm at play here, it ultimately all feels too much like an inside joke — and in theatre, when you make your audience feel like outsiders, most often the joke ends up being on you.