Vancouver Fringe Festival Picks 2016

Violent Shadow Puppet Hippos & Other Fringe Picks

Do you open the Vancouver Fringe Festival program and blink bewilderedly at the sheer number of shows you can see 11 days’ time? Fret no more. We have two seasoned Fringers who know what it’s like to experience the festival from the stage and from the audience. Marlene Dong and Kuan Foo are members of local sketch comedy troupe, Assaulted Fish, and they’ve put together a list of Fringe picks with something for every type of Fringer. The first two on their list are considered sure bets; the rest depends on how much you like puppets and quirky/random/absurdist theatre. They have two pro tips to offer: ask a Fringe volunteer for show recommendations and make the effort to support great performances at BYOVs across the city. Now, get Fringing!

Give It Up (Morgan Brayton, 14+)
The last time I caught the magnificent Morgan Brayton on stage was in 2010 at her Vancouver Fringe solo show, “Raccoonery”. That’s way too long between hits of comedy gold like hers, but truth be told, I needed that much time to heal my busted gut. I don’t expect “Give It Up” to be any less than funny or brilliant. Ms. Brayton is an outstanding comedienne who has been a champion of sketch comedy and budding sketch comedians in Vancouver for well over a decade. You don’t get to be the god-lady of comedy without knowing a thing or two about constructing an award-winning show. Expect memorable, well-drawn characters; sharp, witty commentary; and stories that’ll make you laugh, cry, or go WTF? (I’ll be asking her about her “husband Scott Baio”.) Go see her show; you’ll have a gut-busting good time. – MD

Love is a Battlefield (Martin Dockery, 14+)
Martin Dockery the performer is hilarious, charismatic and just a little hyperactive. I’ve seen three of his shows – two comedic monologues, “Up In Flames” and “The Exclusion Zone”, and the exquisite romantic two-hander “Moonlight After Midnight” (my favourite Fringe show of 2014) – and can attest that Martin Dockery the writer is no slouch either, creating multi-layered, sneakily-smart theatre pieces that can be nose-snortingly funny, but also surprisingly emotional. This year, he returns with “Love is a Battlefield”, another two-hander performed with his artistic and life partner Vanessa Quesnelle. My personal must-see show this year. – KF

Bella Culpa (A Little Bit Off, All Ages)
At a time when “clowns” are associated with traumatic birthday parties and “slapstick” means YouTube videos of men getting hit in the penis, it’s hard to remember that clowning, acrobatics
and physical comedy were once the staples of entertainment and were practiced creatively and artistically. That tradition is alive and well with A Little Bit Off, an award-winning physical theatre troupe from Portland, Oregon, whose latest show “Bella Culpa” follows two servants as they bumble about an Edwardian manor house attempting to do their chores. Warning: The online previews hinted at audience participation so don’t sit too close if you’re a massive introvert like our neighbour Ann, who spent one show with her head almost in her lap trying to avoid the performer seeking a volunteer. – KF

Curious Contagious (Mind of a Snail Puppet Co., All Ages)
Remember the days when every class had an overhead projector and if you were bored and the teacher wasn’t looking, you used do shadow puppet shows? Well, apparently it is possible to pursue an artistic career doing this, although I’m pretty sure what Mind of a Snail does is a little more creative than the shadow bunny-ears I used to cast in grade 12 Algebra. Critics have called their shows “fantastical” and “unique”. I personally have not had the opportunity to see them yet, but they approached me during a Fringe line-up a few years back and gave a really charming and inventive show pitch involving miniature shadow puppets, which made me very curious (but not contagious). – KF

Fat Sex (Steve Larkin, 14+)
Steve Larkin is a British slam poet, musician and educator, who has taught poetry in venues as diverse as Oxford Brookes University and a high security prison. We caught Larkin the last time he was in Vancouver with N.O.N.C.E., a show based on his experiences teaching poetry to lifers. N.O.N.C.E. was intense, witty, political, acerbic and, considering the subject matter, strangely uplifting. “Fat Sex” promises more of the same, serving up a retrospective of Larkin’s poems and songs over the last 20 years. – KF

Hip.Bang! Improv (Hip.Bang!, 14+)
Very polished local sketch and improv duo. I’ve only had the chance to see them once or twice but was impressed with the wit and complexity of their sketches. Super funny, too! – KF

Advance Theatre: New Works by Women (Playwrights: Carmen Aguirre, Jenn Griffin, Janet Hinton, Frances Koncan, Quelemia Sparrow, Directors: Kim Harvey, Laura McLean, Christine Quintana, Anita Rochon, Heidi Taylor, 14+)
In partnership with Ruby Slippers Theatre and Equity in Theatre, the Fringe is presenting a showcase of dramatic readings by five Canadian women playwrights, directed by five diverse Canadian women. The readings take place midday, but if you can, go support women doing interesting, meaningful, important work in theatre. – MD

Space Hippo (The Wishes Mystical Puppet Company, 14+)
“Space Hippo” has been wowing audiences on the Fringe circuit this year and just won “Pick of the Fringe” at the Victoria Fringe. The Wishes Mystical Puppet Company is a trans-Pacific collaboration between Canadian Daniel Wishes and Japanese puppeteer Seri Yanai, and they employ a blend of shadow puppetry, marionettes, rod puppets and glove puppets to tell the story of a hippo who has to venture into space to save the earth. Warning: Despite its whimsical premise, this show is rated 14+ and does have a violence warning and if violent shadow puppet hippos trigger you, consider yourself forewarned. – KF

The Old Woman (John Grady, 14+)
There’s a plethora of puppet-based Fringe shows this year, so if you’re looking for something different, how about drama and dance? John Grady is a former Ballet BC dancer who has performed Off-Broadway and garnered awards from across the Fringe circuit. I’ve never seen John Grady in action before, but the show description for “The Old Woman” spoke to me. I’ve lost loved ones in recent years and examined what it means to live, age, and die. I anticipate a heart-rending story told through the beauty of movement and dance. – MD

The Nether (Redcurrant Collective, 18+)
When I visited London in 2015, I just missed this Jennifer Haley play, which enjoyed a 12-week remount at the Duke of York’s Theatre after a sold-out run at the renowned Royal Court Theatre. It was billed as a sci-fi crime thriller, a kind of cautionary tale about the internet and digital world. Imagine my delight when I learned that there would be a Vancouver premiere, directed by actor/playwright Chris Lam and featuring a diverse cast and crew, including Lissa Neptuno. (Full disclosure: Chris and Lissa are former members of Assaulted Fish.) – MD

Zeppelin Was a Cover Band (Stadium Tour, 14+)
I know very little about Led Zeppelin – except that Canadian figure skater, Kurt Browning, performed a riveting short program to Bonzo’s Montreux in 1993. Random? Yes. Which is why I’m looking to be edumacated by playwrights, Stefan Cedilot and Ben Kalman, as they trace the origin story of the blues through the music of Led Zeppelin. Trippy! – MD

About Vancouver Fringe Festival

The Vancouver Fringe is a celebration of all kinds of theatre. Produced annually by the First Vancouver Theatrespace Society over 11 days in September, with over 500 volunteers supporting 700+ performances and attracting over 40,000 attendees, the Fringe strives to break down traditional boundaries and encourage open dialogue between audiences and artists by presenting live un-juried, uncensored theatre in an accessible and informal environment.