It’s been a bit of a crazy start to Halifax Fringe 2019, with intermittent, but intense downpours and wind warnings heading into the overnight. But, it was warm and merry inside the Bus Stop Theatre where I caught the very aptly named Lords of Fogtown, presented by Hello City.
In 2008 I learned about Edmonton’s long-running improvised soap opera Die-Nasty and I thought it was the coolest concept ever invented for improvisation. Since then, I’ve always wanted to see a long-form improvised series, and tonight at Fogtown my decade-old dream came true! The cast of Hello City, Gil Anderson, Liam Fair, Henricus Gielis, Stepheny Hunter, Colin McGuire, Shahin Sanjari and Peter Sarty have all previously come up with a cast of characters, different residents of Fogtown, a harbour-side port city where mysterious things happen. They then ask the audience for a suggestion of an event and were given “a funeral;” the story from that point on is entirely improvised. Their next show, August 31st at 10:00pm, will be a continuation of the narrative, each show like a successive episode in a series, all one hundred percent improvised.
Tonight’s play was a murder mystery, which is difficult enough to write, and even more difficult to improvise! The wonderfully erratic pulse of the show was led by Gil Anderson’s frenetic almost thirteen year old Bobbi, who spends her time hanging out with the adults of Fogtown, has an infectious spirit and exuberance for everything, and who has a pet rat, named Ratty. She is countered nicely by the languid, yet no less dramatic, drama teacher played by Stepheny Hunter, who never misses an opportunity to drop a theatre reference. Shahin Sanjari plays the town’s Comic Book store worker and gives a really nuanced performance. Henricus Gielis builds layer upon layer of secrets for his town Priest/Mayor, who was ultimately exorcised to save some fish. Ultimately, though, the most impressive element in this show is how well the cast is able to work together as a team. You can see the way they build the narrative together, no one person dominating the choices, but everyone trying to piece a mystery together that is silly, entertaining, intriguing, and makes enough logical sense to give the audience some sense of dramatic arc and resolution at the end. I also was aware how the cast was continually grounding the comedy in their characters, instead of just chasing one-liner jokes. This is sophisticated work, and like with a sitcom, the characters are going to grow and solidify more and more with each new episode the cast creates.
Lords of Fogtown is captivating and fun and every show is different. It’s a treat to watch if you’re looking for a laugh, and fascinating for people, like me, who also enjoy watching the inner workings of the game. It’s wonderful to have long-form improv in Halifax and at the Fringe!
Lords of Fogtown plays at the Bus Stop Theatre (2203 Gottingen Street) as part of the Halifax Fringe Festival at the following times:
Saturday, August 31st at 10:00 PM
Monday, September 2nd at 6:30 PM
Thursday, September 5th at 7:00 PM
Sunday, September 8th at 8:30 PM
Tickets range in price from $3.00-$15.00 and are available HERE or at the Bus Stop Theatre 30 minutes before the show (cash or credit) or at the Fringe Hub at Neptune Theatre (1593 Argyle Street from 10:00am-10:00pm daily during the festival.
Follow Hello City on Social Media. Facebook. Instagram (@HelloCityImprov).
Follow Halifax Fringe on Social Media: Facebook. Twitter. Instagram (@HalifaxFringe)
