One more show for opening day of Winnipeg Fringe! At least that was my plan as I loped across the Exchange to the King’s Head Pub, and the prodigious lineup forming outside. Would I get sold-outed? A distinct possibility, considering who I was trying to get in to see. But my machete leg had served me well, and gotten me there in time! It was a packed house, but I made it in to catch Jon Paterson as he brought THE FOOL to life.

Written and directed by Ryan Gladstone of Monster Theatre, THE FOOL is the self-told tale of the titular court jester, a simple peasant who only wants a bit of love and companionship in his life. And while his bovine pal Drew is more than enough for him, fate and a fire conspire to land him in the King’s court, as the newest fool in the land. Toss in a friendly serving wench, a scheming uppercrust Lord, a moody dog and more, and things start to get a little complicated. And wait until you hear what happened to the LAST fool.

All of this merriment and intrigue is relayed to us by Fringe mainstay Jon Paterson, sporting full jester regalia that looks might tricky to walk in, much less act. But if you were lucky enough to catch Jon P in his by-now legendary rendition of Daniel MacIvor’s HOUSE, or his more recent and personal HOW I MET MY MOTHER, you know he is more than capable of handling anything a 1-person show could throw at him, and fortunately his juggling skills are much better than those of the Fool he portrays, alternating to and from between his myriad characters as the tale unfolds before us. It’s a giddy and delightful medieval adventure brought to life with charm and good humour that starts you off smiling and keeps you that way for a while after it’s over. I’d say it was the perfect way to cap off my first full day of Fringing.

THE FOOL plays upstairs at the King’s Head Pub at the Winnipeg Fringe Festival. Advance ticket and schedule info available at the website HERE. Happy Fringing, and I’ll see you at the beer tent! Peace, love and soul,

The Visitor (aka Kevin)