Review: (Montreal) My Big Fat German Puppet Show

The Big and the Fat of It
by Janis Kirshner
@Janovations

Frank Meschkuleit as Franz Poopenshpiel is certainly commanding, and not just because of his enormous belly. Meschkuleit owns the stage and is present to the slightest nuance. And hey- when do you get a chance to see someone play the saw…?

Oohs and aahs are well-deserved when Meschkuleit reveals the lush puppet proscenium amid his girth. His puppets and voices are unique and spot on with a heavy dose of peculiar and eccentric. Especially noteworthy (and pretty darned smart) is Steven Hawking as a stand-up comic; a lederhosen clad rapper; and a zombie sing along. There’s even a tender moment on making the right choices in life to make someone’s life better.

Meschkuleit is an alumnus of Fraggle Rock and creator of the hit show The Left Hand of Frank. I certainly appreciated his talent, but I would have liked to see more variety in the presentation.

June 14 - 22

Review: Kitt and Jane: An Interactive Survival Guide to the Near-Post-Apocalyptic Future (Fringe)

Beyond the Fringe Title
by Janis Kirshner
@Janovations

It’s International Wildlife Diversity Appreciation Day and two awkward but intelligent, socially aware grade-eights, Kitt and Jane (the boy’s unwelcome nick-name) are at the front of the assembly. Minutes in they’ve hijacked their own presentation to let us know the apocalypse is coming in five years. They don’t have a lot of time to convince us that this is 'science, not fiction' and survival techniques must be learned.

Review: (Montreal) Gingervitis (Fringe)

Reds
by Janis Kirshner
@Janovations

And this is what we love about the Fringe… For whatever reason, this particular one out of 110 shows, Project Gingervitis, has been picked. You’re pretty sure it’ll be just okay, if that. You’re fairly certain it will consist of ‘woe-is-me’-ness jokes about carrot-top, sunscreen and watery blue eyes. You’d be wrong.

I always heard that King Solomon, known for his wisdom, was a redhead. Perhaps channelling Solomon’s soul, playwright/performer Jordan Lloyd Watkins under the direction of David Bloom has crafted an intelligent, funny and thought-provoking piece about the ‘other’. Using both real and skilfully done fake video news clips as well as faux Save the Children ads to highlight and offer depth to the narrative, we follow the story of Red 1- the red headed science subject from the age of four. It’s 2084 and redheads have long been eradicated. Except for this one, the last of his kind… (cue early video of an achingly cute Watkins)

Review: (Montreal) Paleoncology (Fringe: MONTREAL, CALGARY, VICTORIA)

Unburied Fossils
by Janis Kirshner
@Janovations

Full disclosure here - I’m a fossil nerd and therefore biased. Kira Hall’s story about a young woman, Lea, dealing with the death of her brother Daniel through the beautifully sustained metaphor of dinosaurs, is both moving and educational. Hall has an easy manner about her that draws you into her world and her pent up pain. Never mawkish (she’s dressed throughout in an adorable dinosaur onesie) the well-structured story leads us to the inevitable conclusion, but not before we learn about a strong sibling bond and an important road trip to the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Paleontology. Whimsical overhead projections offer everything you’ve wanted to know about T-Rex, including the occurrence of dinosaur cancer reflected in the title.

Review: (Montreal) Our Creation, Existence, and Destruction in 55 Minutes (Fringe)

The Title's the Thing
by Janis Kirshner
@Janovations

The show title says it all. Ian Geldart presents a neatly wrapped up play consisting of three creation stories, three existence stories and three destruction stories. I’ve always been a fan of creation myths and how they offer insights into various cultures. Geldart is affable and greets the crowd warmly before beginning at the beginning with the gift of fire.

Review: (Montreal) Seduce All Humans (Fringe)

Burlesque is Hard
by Janis Kirshner

Full of smiles, sexy swagger, fun props and big smiles, burlesque is hard. It takes years of perfecting moves that incorporate master dance levels, inventive storylines, imaginative costuming and scads of playfulness, all done on high heels and in tight clothes while trying, with class and poise, to creatively remove said clothing. While the cast of Seduce all Humans gives a valiant effort, they just aren’t there yet. They are charming and pretty and some are quite sexy, but it all falls a bit flat. The premise, that these women are aliens (Boobalons) who have landed here to ‘seduce all humans’ in various ways, while kinda cute, is tenuous at best.  A bit of an excuse to jazz up the intros between acts does not a storyline make…

Review: (Montreal) Fire in The Meth Lab (Fringe)

When Bathrooms Explode
by Janis Kirshner

Let’s hear it for all the younger siblings who were ever teased, humiliated and embarrassed by their big sister or brother! As über-watchable performer/writer Jon Bennett explains, while in retrospect the elder sibling must know they did mean things, the younger sibling can remember the exact bullying event, often right down to the date and time. Scarring as these events were, most little brothers/sisters still seek love and a good relationship from their unkind but admired elder. 

Review: (Montreal) Urge For Going (Fringe)

Leaving Home
by Janis Kirshner

Urge for Going is self-described as a multidisciplinary puppet play inspired by the songs of Joni Mitchell. And so it is, but so much more. Created and performed by bekky O’Neil, with a live band playing Mitchell’s spellbinding songs, the piece is elevated from just the story of 12 year old Carey taking her imagination on the road as she emulates her hero (who shares the same home town, Saskatoon). 

The puppets, including Carey herself (also played in human form by O’Neill); her only friend, Fox; and a life-sized deer, are visually stunning, as is the animation. 

Review: (Montreal) Love in the Time of Time Machines

The Hope of Love
by Janis Kirshner

There seems to be a bit of a theme at this year’s Fringe involving time travel and the idea of going back to alter outcomes. Or looking back at things and changing yourself. Re-evaluation is never a bad thing. Sometimes it’s done for you, as we are reminded in Love in the Time of Time Machines, that since all our cells regenerate, we are different people every five years. Nice to know there’s hope for some of us yet…

Review: (Montreal) Weaksauce

The Loves
by Janis Kirshner

Sam Mullins is back with another hit after last year’s Tinfoil Dinosaur. Mullins is likeable and personable with a gentle story telling style that draws you in within moments. This first-time-falling-in-love story is fresh and his beautifully descriptive writing style has you cracking up as images of some of his horribly embarrassing moments come vividly to life. Though there are many laughs there are also sincere, tender moments like when he describes his new love Amanda’s eyes as getting moist when she laughed like she’d cry with joy. 

Review: (Montreal) Peter 'n' Chris Explore Their Bodies

The Hyphchondriac
by Janis Kirshner

Peter n’ Chris are lauded Canadian sketch comedy performers who among other topics, pay homage to movies. Okay- I’ve of course heard of Game of Thrones, but that’s where my knowledge ends. Oh- Chronicles of Narnia too? That should read somewhat familiar- The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, right? What- Lord of the Rings? My memory ends at The Hobbit…