Day Six was a much shorter day, I only have two shows to tell you about, and now I am all geared up and rested for Day Seven of Halifax Fringe!
I caught Swipe Right, a pre-existing show that Fringe Executive Director Lee-Anne Poole curated from both hilarious and horrifying real locally-sourced Tinder stories, dramatically read by an array of performers who have other shows in the Fringe, and hosted by Bill Wood. It’s an interesting glimpse into the way we speak privately to one another on these kinds of apps at a time where ‘dating’ and/or ‘hooking up’ have lost any previous sense of chronology. It is a time where genuine connections can be found in unexpected ways, and, although it’s easier than ever (in theory) to chat with nearly anyone we want, finding meaningful communication can be incredibly difficult.
Swipe Right plays at 2202 Gottingen Street (the Old Company House) one more time: Tonight, Wednesday, September 4th at 7:45 PM. Tickets are $9.00/$12.00 and are available HERE.
Taylor Olson gives a professional-caliber performance in Daniel MacIvor’s 1998 play Monster. We begin in the dark. In a movie theatre. Suddenly, an aggressive voice shushes us. He is our narrator, Adam, but as the play progresses we get the sense that he is, perhaps a little bit unhinged. We are introduced to several other characters: a young man who became obsessed with the grisly murder that happened next door to him; Al, an alcoholic with a traumatic past; Al’s girlfriend Janine; Joe, an aspiring filmmaker, who has a fully-formed idea for a film that come to him like a vision, but who ends up having his idea stolen from him; and a once-celebrated filmmaker, Jerry “Buster” Foster, whose unfinished film bears an eerie similarity to Joe’s. In characteristic MacIvor style the narratives begin quite disparate, and slowly we begin to piece together the ways they interconnect, finally bringing everything dramatically and poignantly together at the end. It’s a very well constructed play: it’s jarring, and dark, and compelling, and explores themes of how art mirrors life and life mirrors art, and how the results can be both beautiful and damaging. Olson inhabits each character with specificity. There are a lot of similarities between Al, Adam, and Joe and Olson masterfully shows us the connections between them, but also makes sure to give all three their own unique ways of speaking, looking, and moving. His portrayal of Janine brings her to life without resorting to over-the-top female stereotyping, which is appreciated. Julia Schultz’s direction keeps the play very tightly centred and controlled in the dark, which creates a great tension with the more unpredictable antics of Adam- who at times turns up the house lights and frequently speaks directly to specific audience members. The length of this play, 70 minutes, and the construction of MacIvor’s solo shows, which don’t require elaborate sets, props or costumes, make it ideal for a Fringe Festival, but this production would also be equally at home as part of a second stage season at a larger theatre. If you didn’t catch it during its run this Fringe, perhaps you may have another opportunity in the future. I hope so!
Monster at Halifax Fringe has closed.
The Halifax Fringe runs until September 8th, 2019. Schedules and tickets are available for all the shows HERE, at the venue of the show 30 minutes before it begins (cash or credit), or at the Fringe Hub at Neptune Theatre (1589 Argyle Street) from 10:00am-10:00pm daily during the festival.
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