You bet your Momma’s shell collection I took me a night off from blogging!  On purpose, even!  And totally not because I got home silly drunk at nearly 2 am, and had to work at 8.  Though I won’t lie, that WAS A factor.

No, I mostly let myself slide on writing last night because, as of yesterday afternoon, me and the beautiful flock of Angels that is TEAM VISITORIUM had successfully reviewed each and every show in the Festival!  Not quite as fast as Fully Fringed, sure, but who wants to finish fast?  The Visitorium has STAMINA, folks.  You know, except for last night when I just came home and passed out drunk.  Shut up.  So what the Heck have I been up to for two whole days, while you poor folks just had to sit and wonder, with worry in your hearts?  Well, I thought I’d take a wild stab at Fringing.  All these shows have, as stated , already been covered by the lovely Team V, but here’s my own quickie take on the shows from the last couple:

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– CRUX by Kathleen Frost (Hightide Theatre)

Starting with the indeed memorable local song RIDEAU AND SUSSEX, Crux the very-Canadian musical quickly falls onto our perky lead Grace, as she’s ushered into a mysterious secret society thru th eRideau Underpass.  Or, it’s all in the subconscious of this dude she dated once.  Or it’s on the island from LOST, or…really, I don’t think anyone has managed to figure out just what happened in this show.  But whatever it was, it had fun, well choreographed tunes, interesting characters and performances, and plenty of kissing.  And if you figure out what it was all about, call me.

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– DIRK DARROW: NCSSI by Tim Motley

The third of the illusionist trio in Studio Leonard-Beaulne this year (along with Chris Bange of THE FAT GUY SHOW and Paddy McCullagh of R U SMARTER THAN AN IRISHMAN), Motley’s film-noir spoof Darrow works with the audience to solve a particularly crafty whodunnit.  Lots of intriguing gags (some I’ve never seen before, with a colourful premise and a very engaging lead who’s as quick with a joke or an ad-lib as he is with a bit of sleight of hand.

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– WOLVES>BOYS by Tony Adams and Cory Thibert (May Can Theatre)

SO happy to finally see May Can’s new show, and it was worth the wait.  Pulling from their established bag of tricks (boyish charm, easy humour, high energy, and vivid imaginations) and adding in several new-to-them innovations, Cory and Tony have stepped up their game with this show.  Friends Isaac and Lawrence are meeting in a graveyard…or is war brewing between the Alpha and Beta of a pack of Ghost Wolves?  Great interplay between the leads, dialogue that shifts nicely between poignant and hysterical, and some really, really fun flashback scenes. I can’t wait  to see what the lads come up with next.

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– DONKEY DERBY by Tess Mc Manus (little Green Hat)

Okay, I treated myself to a repeat of Tess’ delightful show…what can I say, I find one-woman Fringe shows with DERBY in the title a little irresistible.  What, YOU don’t have a fetish?  The tale was just as engaging and charming the second time around, and this time I got to be the donkey.
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– WHAT HAPPENS NOW by Andrew Chapman (1.21 Productions)

Seriously, why has there not been more buzz about this show?  Andrew Chapman’s one-man stand-up comedy hour was laugh-out-loud funny from the get-go.  Even with a relatively small audience, Chapman kept the energy and pace of the piece up, riffing on life in both Ottawa and Toronto, shitty apartments and the truth about ‘lost’ cats.  A really funny and smart comedian who deserves better houses than he’s got.  Pack his last show Sunday at 730, folks.

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– I’M NOT CRYING IN THE BATHROOM, I’M CRYING IN THE SUPPLY CLOSET by Lady Business

A whip-smart, fast-paced, all-lady sketch comedy show (with more than a few songs thrown in for why the Hell not?), starring three talented comic actors.  A very few of the bits fall flat, but most of them are funny to hilarious.  Everyone will have their fav’rits…I think mine is the period piece with the women waiting for their husbands to return from the sea.  Which doesn’t SOUND like ripe material for comedy, but LadyBusiness knows some tricks, folks.  Funny shit, funny gals.

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– LITTLE ORANGE MAN by Ingrid Hansen and Kathleen Greenfield (Snafu Dance Theatre)

You’re God Damn right I was catching LOM again on it’s Ottawa tour, after hitting it up twice last year in Victioria.  And it was just as magical, and even funnier, than I remembered.  It worked SO beautifully in the theatre space down below at St.Paul’s, packed to the rafters on Ingrid’s closing night.  The audience receptivity was amped up to 1000%, and Ingrid played with us like one of her puppets.  I had missed Kitt SO MUCH!  And tonight, I got to be one of the Kinders (Fern, obviously the best one).  Icing on the Fringe cake, folks.  As good as it gets.

That was my last show today, and I tried to be good, tearing myself away from the Courtyard in time to get home write this, and still get SOME sleep.  Last shows tomorrow, some poster-stealing for the collection (sorry!  although if you’re reading this, and have a copy of your show poster, bring it by the the tent and I’ll HAPPILY take it off your hands!)  then what will hopefully be an epic afterparty.  Team V, I hope I see all of you there!  I owe you all so much, you’re the bestest.  Peace, love and soul, Fringers,

The Visitor (and Winston)