Experiencing Fringe - July 10, 2010

Today was a big day; I lined up three shows to see:
> 12:30pm performance of 1/4 Life Crisis at Annex Theatre
> 7:30pm performance of Joe White & the Seven Divorcees at Bathurst Street Theatre
> 11:30pm performance of Craplicker at Tarragon Theatre Mainspace

1/4 Life Crisis
by Alison Lynne Ward

From the Fringe Program:
A funny, dynamic one person show taking the audience on an energetic journey of a young professional as she works to establish her career, hold onto her dreams, drown out the voices of parents, peers and friends, to eventually discover the importance of claiming yourself and being true to who you are.

This one woman show was like stand-up comedy/an informative lecture/a one-sided chat with your best girlfriend as you listen to her rant, rave and whine about her life. I laughed, as there were some great lines, but didn't find myself laughing as much as I thought I would. It was missing some of the funny/the poignant/the...I am not sure what. I was, however, slightly distracted by how in shape this chick was - she had great legs!

One of my favourite parts was when she compared three of her previous boyfriends to the Back To The Future trilogy. The first "movie" was great, classic and something that you'll always think of fondly. The second "movie" was just wrong...all wrong...ooh so wrong. And the third was pretty great; maybe even better than the first. So, just to double check, you go back and "watch" the first "movie" again...well actually you "watch" it a few times. Then, just to be sure the second one was really that bad you "watch" it again - and YES, it was a BIG mistake. Oh the shame! This logically leads you into the third "movie" again. And why didn't the third "movie" call me back? See, funny right?

Much of what was said during the performance hit home with me - these are things I've asked myself, I've told myself and I've wondered about myself and my future.

[SCREECHING HALT]

Change of plans as per above. Joe White was sold out. Yes, I should have left the apartment earlier. No, I didn't really make the connection of it's popularity and possible sold-out-ness with the fact that it had been picked as one of the "Best of" shows for 2010. Yes, duh.

Not a problem. I LOVE flying by the seat of my pants! Not wanting to go all the way back to the apartment and really not in the mood to find something non-Fringe to do to fill my time until my 11:30pm show, I required alternate Fringe show plans. At almost 7:30pm I moved briskly, cause I am just not a runner really, into the Main Box Office area to check out all the posters from other shows. One catches my eye and says, "Yo! I am awesome. I am playing right here in this building (The Solo Room) and I am starting at 8pm." Again, I moved briskly back outside to The Solo Room box office tent and purchased one shiny golden ticket. No, not really golden, more of a corn yellow colour. Details, details.

Psycho Bitch
by Tamara Lynn Robert

From the Fringe Program:
Tamara is a mood disordered, medicated sweetheart of a mess and she needs help. On her journey towards healing she battles a legion of demons, wacky therapists armed with ridiculous treatments and one shapeshifting, grotesque monster called Stigma. Her guardian angel is her ever present comfort as she tells her comedic, heartwarming tale of living with mental illness.

A very satisfying one woman show about mental illness. The first and, so far, the only play at the Fringe to make me cry sad tears. Well done!

I came to see Joe White, but it was sold out. I think it was fate for me to see Psycho Bitch. Well, fate or leaving later than I should have, but who's keeping track?

This show takes you on a journey of the life of Tamara: her illness, her attempts at diagnosis, her psychosis, her therapy, her medications, her highs, her lows and REAL lows. We also learn about her late friend, Aaron and her ever present guardian angel, Geraldine and how the two are so closely connected. Yet, even with all this serious talk she still managed to make us laugh...and by the end, cry. I heard sniffles and saw tissues dabbing at faces in the audience.

The "Psycho Bitch" done good. I do recommend this show, however, if you want to see it you'll have to travel to Winnipeg, MB or Victoria, BC for their Fringe Festivals as tonight's performance was her final for Toronto's Fringe.

With some time to kill before Craplicker at 11:30pm, I wander over to the Fringe Club just so I could say I came and I saw. I didn't stay. Not really a lone drinker. I am told that's a good thing. So instead of desolate drinking, I had sushi solo. Once I'd had my fill I made my way over to Bathurst Station to catch the #7 bus North to Tarragon only to find a mass amount of people waiting for the same bus. After waiting about 10 minutes and unsure if a bus would ever come to collect us, I started walking. Nice night and I needed to work off that sushi. It wasn't until I reached Dupont that the first #7 bus was spotted coming South. Glad I walked!

Craplicker
by Steven Gallagher

From the Fringe Program:
Josh is gay. Josh is closeted. Josh is pushing 30. With humour and candor, Craplicker portrays the joyous friendship between a group of five gay men. When an unexpected illness forces Josh to make a decision to finally "come out", his fearless friends gleefully coax and pester him into becoming the man he is meant to be.

Heartwarming, hilarious and HAWT! Yup, that's all I got. Well, that and that fact that I have come to the realization that I need to acquire more gay friends if for no other reason than the hot eye-candy. Is that so wrong?

One of the bonuses of the show was actor, David Gale (from the TV show Loving Spoonfuls), playing one of the characters. This marks a sort of full circle with me and Fringe. Why? Well in 2002 I saw my first Fringe show, Sugar, and due to my tardiness there was only one seat left in the house - front row, right beside David Gale. Yup, full circle indeed.

This was definitely a good day, but gosh darn-it I gots to remember to apply the sunscreen. Oh ouch! Aloe Vera, STAT!