The Atlantic Fringe Festival unleashes its particular, delicious brand of insanity on downtown Halifax this week. So many days (10), so many venues (seven), so many shows (46)—how are you supposed to navigate this craziness? We decided to let some of the participants sell themselves to you, in one sentence or less.
Charles Crosby, writer-director of A Mid-Life Marriage: Marital dysfunction, sexual confusion and a bruising game of Pictionary—if you liked the black comedy of Porn Shoppe, you’ll love this.
Sadie Bowman, co-creator of Calculus: The Musical!: Our show is a comic “review” of the concepts and history of calculus that puts the “edge” back in “education!”
Jennifer O’Brien, Theresa in Marion Bridge: It’s an emotional rollercoaster—you’ll be laughing and crying your way through this professionally produced play that just finished a very successful run at Chester Playhouse and King’s Theatre.
Anne-Marie Woods, producer-star of She’s Better Than Oprah DeGeneres: It’s new, it’s improvised, it’s live, it’s innovative, fun and oh, did I say fun?
Mackenzie Gruer, actor in Ghost of the Tree: This dynamic one-woman show has won 14 awards across Ontario in the past year, including the “Outstanding Performance Award” at the London Fringe Festival.
Leigh Ann Bellamy, actor in Pretty Pieces: Fragile innocence collides with jaded experience in this intense, provocative look at life on the margins of society.
Marty Burt, actor in Three Dogs Barking: John Beale of Peggy fame is in it and the Aliant Guy (Kelly Peck) gets beaten up.
Amy Salloway, actor-writer of Circumference: This production embodies the spirit of “Fringe” in that it’s totally still in development, and no two performances will be the same...come help shape a piece of live theatre with your presence and feedback!
Amy Barratt, actor-writer of No Lesbians in Musical Theatre: It’s not every day you meet a lesbian who sings like Julie Andrews, and has a sense of humour about it.
Eden Fenrick, choreographer-dancer in Butter Jam Toast: I think that Butter Jam Toast is important to see because talking about bodies, food and eating have become so difficult to discuss objectively—dancing is a way to break down those taboos.
Tara Patriquin, co-writer, director and actor in Caged: It’s an original piece that explores and tampers with text, music, movement and apples. Oh...and forget what you think you know about death!
Jason Rogerson, co-writer-producer of Sketch-22: We will destroy you with laughter.
Andrea Dymond, actor in Lear’s Daughters: It’s a play with five fabulous female parts; how often does that happen in theatre?!?
Fiely A. Matias, creator-performer in LOUNGE-ZILLA!: LOUNGE-ZILLA! features an atomic blast of twisted and bawdy music, naughty and risque humour and boasts the Fringe’s only (and outrageously unforgettable!) LIVE 3D FINALE that must be seen to be believed!
Alexis Taylor, actor in Winners: Winners is a story that is candid, thought-provoking and fun to watch as it explores the fallible nature of hope and love.
Sean Jordan, co-writer and actor in The Friend & The Jerk: It’s awell-groomed, approachable, charming comedy with an extra dose of extreme hilariousness—oh yeah and it’s single too!
Garry Williams, director of 13 Ways of Looking at a Madman: It’s a fascinating story, virtually unknown, told by a dozen talented young writers and performed by a handful of up-and-coming local actors who toured Berlin, Germany!
The Atlantic Fringe Festival runs August 31 to September 10.
Here and there
August 31 is your last day to apply to the Salon des Refuses Atlantique, the place where filmmakers rejected by the Atlantic Film Festival get to screen their works. To apply, hit salonatlantique.org and send an electronic application, along with your AFF rejection letter, to the Salon. The films will be randomly selected from all entries and screened on September 13 at a location we’ll confirm next week. … Our condolences to Kathy Bates, who lost out to Helen Mirren at the Emmys on August 27. Bates’ Ambulance Girl, which she also directed, was filmed in the city last year.
Send your condolences. email: [email protected]
