The Winnipeg Fringe Festival is showcasing a diverse array of theatrical productions, offering audiences a mix of psychological dramas, historical explorations, contemporary satires, and heartfelt musical tributes. Several productions have garnered significant attention for their compelling performances, innovative storytelling, and timely themes.
‘Blackfish’ Delivers a Challenging Psychological Drama
Raheno Art Company’s production of ‘Blackfish’ presents a demanding psychological drama that requires active audience engagement. The play opens with a border crossing officer subjecting a young woman to intense scrutiny, despite her having all necessary documentation. Their interactions escalate, becoming increasingly personal and surreal as the officer compels her to recount folktales from her homeland and begins to conflonfuse her with characters from those stories or his deceased girlfriend. This dynamic shifts the balance of power, creating a tense and thought-provoking experience. While the show can be demanding and at times exhausting, its emotional impact culminates in a profoundly moving moment delivered directly to the audience by the actors at its conclusion.
‘East of Berlin’ Explores Legacy and Identity
Glitter & Sawdust’s remount of Hannah Moscovitch’s ‘East of Berlin’ delves into the complex legacy of a retired physician living in Paraguay, whose past medical career was intertwined with Adolf Hitler. The play centers on his son, Rudi, who grapples with his father’s meticulous yet disturbing routines and the hidden aspects of their shared immigration history. As Rudi’s understanding of his past unravels, he is drawn into German archives, where his search for redemption is met by Sarah, a woman visiting Europe to uncover her fractured family roots. The drama is described as searing and discomfiting, examining the banalities of evil and the fallacies of perceived superiority, particularly through Rudi’s unsettling fascination with Sarah.
‘The Green Grab’ Offers a Satirical Musical Take
All About Theatre’s ‘The Green Grab’ presents a 50-minute musical spin on ‘The Wizard of Oz,’ transplanting the narrative to a besieged Greenland and satirizing contemporary political environments. The production features a large, intergenerational cast using dance, puppetry, and impressions to poke fun at political figures and ideological suppression. The musical critiques a landscape defined by bravado and financial cutbacks, with the Yellow Brick Road metaphorically depleted. While the show effectively uses its elements, including striking costumes and memorable impressions, it is noted that the overall impact doesn’t quite match the strength of its individual components. Nevertheless, the performers’ evident passion shines through.
‘The Not-So-Secret Life of Rowena Riddle’ for Younger Audiences
Sherri Elle Theatre Projects’ ‘The Not-So-Secret Life of Rowena Riddle’ is a children’s show featuring a superhero whose power lies in her riddles. While the character Rowena Riddle, equipped with her ‘Riddleverse’ cache, attempts to thwart bank robbers and save people, the production struggled to fill the MTYP Mainstage. The performer’s projection was insufficient for audiences beyond the front rows, leading to restlessness among younger viewers. The character’s playful search for riddle supplies and her engagement with children at the end, inviting them to help tell riddles, were highlights. However, the show is better suited for smaller venues or intimate settings like birthday parties, where the performer’s rapport with children can flourish more effectively.
‘On Tidy Endings’ Confronts Grief and the AIDS Epidemic
Pilgrims’ Pieces stages Harvey Fierstein’s ‘On Tidy Endings,’ a powerful drama from his ‘Safe Sex’ trilogy, written during the height of the AIDS epidemic. The play depicts a meeting between Marion, the ex-wife, and Arthur, the current husband, of a man they both loved who has recently died of AIDS. As they sort through his belongings, their interactions reveal the grief, fear, and societal despair of the era. The production navigates Fierstein’s sharp wit and poignant sentimentality, managing the volatile confrontation at the play’s core without succumbing to excessive pathos. Strong performances from Kim Kay as Marion and Scott Pilgrim as Arthur are central to conveying the play’s quiet beauty and emotional weight.
‘Saving the Station’ Reflects on Community Radio’s Challenges
The School of Contemporary Dancers presents ‘Saving the Station,’ a solo performance by Jim Priebe recounting the rise and fall of WhiStle FM, a community radio station he helped establish. Priebe shares a personal narrative of the station’s initial miraculous success and the community’s enthusiastic support, contrasting it with the eventual decline attributed to a lack of commitment to the essential, less glamorous tasks required to maintain operations. The piece evolves into an airing of grievances rather than a deep introspection on potential alternative paths. The production is noted for needing more self-reflection to resonate more authentically with its audience.
‘The Taming of the Shrew’ Reimagined at University
Indifferently Reformed offers a contemporary take on Shakespeare’s ‘The Taming of the Shrew,’ setting the action at Padua U. This production transforms the classic ‘Battle of the Sexes’ into a ‘Battle of the Ages,’ with older audience members observing segments of frat-boy humor while younger attendees embrace it. All eight cast members have moments to shine, but the play’s central tension lies in reconciling Kate’s strong personality with her final monologue advocating obedience. The production’s Kate, portrayed by Krista Austin, delivers this monologue with a subtle, perhaps disingenuous, smile, suggesting a complex and potentially unyielding spirit beneath the surface. The enjoyment of this production may vary based on audience age.
‘Tenderly: The Life and Times of Nat King Cole’ is a Resonant Homage
Duane Forrest Productions presents ‘Tenderly: The Life and Times of Nat King Cole,’ a musical tribute featuring Montreal-based actor/musician/playwright Duane Forrest. Following his acclaimed Bob Marley tribute, Forrest delivers a charismatic performance, charming the audience with his smooth vocals and guitar playing while performing Cole classics. The 75-minute show seamlessly integrates Forrest’s personal experiences with racial profiling alongside Cole’s encounters in 1950s America. Performances of songs like ‘Strange Fruit’ and ‘Smile’ are described as deeply felt and meaningful. Minor quibbles include the superfluous inclusion of a vintage radio prop, but these do not detract from the production’s powerful championing of dignity, grace, and resilience.
‘Where We Fly From Hospital Beds’ Explores Family and Illness
Cy-Fi Studios’ ‘Where We Fly From Hospital Beds’ is a 45-minute play by Cyan Gargol that imaginatively explores how two young sisters, Agnes and Margot, cope with Agnes’s cancer diagnosis. Their Star Trek-inspired role-playing provides an escape from the grim reality of Agnes’s prognosis, especially given their mother’s death from the same illness. The play ingeniously weaves the appeal of their favorite show with their process of coming to terms with cancer. A notable moment involves sock puppets representing alien invaders transforming into cancer cells during their role-play. The production is praised for its fluid style and imagination, with the cast delivering key moments with clarity and fervor, marking Gargol as a playwright to watch.
Conclusion: A Rich Tapestry of Fringe Theatre
The Winnipeg Fringe Festival continues to offer a rich and varied theatrical landscape. From profound psychological explorations and historical dramas to sharp satire and heartfelt musical biographies, these productions highlight the creativity and talent present in the festival. Audiences are treated to performances that are not only entertaining but also provoke thought and resonate emotionally, showcasing the enduring power of live theatre.
