Erin Scott-Kafadar and Alexander Richardson Photo by Mark Ruddick
Slept in until 3pm and had a bunch of housekeeping things to do, so apologies for getting this up so late. Day #5 was a 5 show day (including my first trip ever to Streetcar Crowsnest) so let's get to it!
Nerves
Having been primary caregiver to my mom, I was looking forward to this one. The mother has a different disease than my mom but I certainly felt the stress the protagonist was under, having to take care of her mom while trying to balance the rest of her life. All three characters (mother, daughter, boyfriend) caring for each other while balancing feelings of helplessness felt very familiar to me. The mother railing about her father making all her choices for her also really resonated as that's something we needed to do with my mom and I've seen her frustration about it.
I could also relate to the mother trying to arrange her daughter's love life as my mom's gotten quite vocal about that too. (I laughed at the mom's efforts to set up a one night stand.) Overall, a strong script and a strong central performance. The situation rang really true without feeling like a heavy downer drama, which is an impressive feat considering the subject matter. The characters were all relatable and likeable people and I appreciated that the ending didn't wrap things up in a neat bow.
This show is a winner and worth your time, which isn't as much as it's only 45 minutes!
Palabra Flamenco: Fox Woman
I've always loved flamenco. I do a bastardized version of it sometimes on the dance floor. I love working with percussive feet. Combine this in with the time I spent with Storytelling Toronto and it was right up my alley. It's a musical interpretation of the Siberian folk tale of the Hunter and the Fox Woman, using flamenco guitar music and dance.
The show starts with the entire tale being told then beginning again using the music and dance to illustrate various sections. I appreciated that we knew the whole story up front so that we could truly appreciate the various styles we were seeing and hearing. The guitar weaved its spell (and I have to get one of those adjustable foot rests) and the footwork and hand gestures of the dance brought us into the characters and their emotions. It was just an exquisite immersive treat.
The shame is that the venue doesn't have raked seating or a raised stage so for half of the audience it's hard to see the dance because so much of flamenco is about the feet. I'm not sure if this was mentioned in the tech questionnaire but this is something the fringe really needs to consider with its dance shows.
Into the Tango
From flamenco to tango, as I moved on to the Randolph to see Pointe Tango. We shared a venue with them in the Hamilton Fringe last year and I hung out with them on the closing night. While in Hamilton, I saw their Para Dos show and it utterly blew me away. I nearly went to London to see them until I discovered they were coming here, so I was really excited to see this one.
What makes them unique is that Erin dances the tango in pointe shoes. They both have classical ballet training but became fascinated by Argentine Tango, so they moved to Buenos Aires to study it. Alexander now choreographs their work and he's brilliant. This show really highlights his sense of staging. Using 6 standing LED light stands to light the space, there's a distinct mood set for every number. He's also taking bigger risks in this show than in the last one - the first two numbers incorporate ideas of masking oneself to better highlight the shapes being created on the stage, a nod to their ballet training. (Last year, the show started with tango and ended with a contemporary number. The order has been flipped this year and the work is better for it.)
And Erin? Holy crap. She does a couple of numbers wearing one high heel and one pointe shoe. How that doesn't drive her insane I don't know but it's a really interesting choice that highlights the difference in stylings between the two forms, using the pointe shoe to execute ballet spins and using the heel to emphasize the lines of the sensual tango. She actually changes into the one shoe on the stage, which is a brave choice as she has to finish in timing with the music and we can see if she's having a challenge getting it on.
In fact, the first half of the show features costume changes partially done on the stage, which makes the transitions from one piece to another a lot more interesting. Another time, it's Alexander lip-syncing to a poem. They are committing to spreading not just the music of Argentina but of their writers as well. All told, this is as strong a dance piece as you would see by any of the resident companies in town. If you have any interest in dance, you owe it to yourself to see it.
(I also want to point out that Erin needs a new pair of pointe shoes for every performance so they fund-raise for them by selling calendars after the show. The images are wonderful and if you can have $20 on you to buy one after the show they will be a reminder of the beauty of dance all through 2020.)
A note to the fringe: Alexander told me after the show they don't have a place to do a proper warm up. They risk injury having to rush with setting up the stage, changing into costume, and trying to warm up within the time usually allotted between shows. Again, if you want dance shows to be a true part of the fringe, this also needs to be taken into consideration. Maybe a dedicated venue like KidsFringe, where there's a warm-up room, proper seating, and a sprung stage?
Blooms from Molly Bloom
Molly Bloom
Not being a fan of James Joyce, this isn't a show I would have initially put on my list. However, I did hear great things about both the show and the performers so I went in hoping that Joyce wouldn't annoy me that much. As the title indicates, this is an adaptation of the final chapter of Ulysses, the famous Molly Bloom soliloquy.
We have 4 Mollys on the stage, the soliloquy broken up between these voices to illustrate various sides to Molly's personality. They sometimes speak in unison, or sing in gorgeous 4-part harmony, which gives this text much needed variety and visual interest. The production is stunning in all aspects - the adaptation, the colour-coded costumes, the movement, the musicality, the acting.
I'm still not a fan of the text but I thoroughly enjoyed this. If you like the text, you're gong to love the show. Fourth Gorgon Theatre really hit it out of the park.
Leaving the show, one of the Mollys offered flowers to people so they could bloom. I haven't received flowers for a bit so it was a lovely touch from the company. Thank you so much!
Dandelion
My final show of the night, where I didn't know what to expect. I've known Aaron Malkin for a few years because of his James & Jamesy work. (I met them in London before they ever made it to Toronto.) They are the rare clown show that I actually like, probably because it's more physical theatre than clown in my books. This is a departure for Aaron as this is a one-man storytelling show.
This is also a work-in-progress, a daring thing for a touring show to do in Toronto. Fringe audiences are usually quite happy to help local shows develop but are not willing to take a risk on a touring show unless they hear raves about it. Aaron told me afterwards it's a product of his schedule and a desire to not want to take any more time away from home than he already is.
This ties directly into this show itself, which is about parenthood. Specifically his relationship with his son. The dandelion motif runs through the show and is introduced at the beginning in true one-man show fashion. What follows are dad jokes, stories about moments with his kid (which I found not that interesting but I'm sure everyone who is a parent was nodding along in recognition), and the part that I found compelling - his struggles to be a parent in authenticity.
I found it uneven, with the strongest sections talking about his relationship with his father and how he is seeing it play out now, and a physical bit about his son and food that brings in the familiar aspect he's know for. It was only its second performance so bits are still being moved in and out. Most of the material is strong. Pacing is the big problem. I am curious to see how it's all going to end up.
In the meantime, if you're a parent, you're going to love it. If you're not, you may still really enjoy watching a great artist stretching himself. I'm glad I saw it.
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