Review: Chantons sous la pluie

Renaud Paradis (top) with René Simard (courtesy: Juste Pour Rire)

Gimme that ol' Razzle-Dazzle

No rain on this parade

by Valerie Cardinal

Since I’m a huge fan of the original 1952 movie Singin’ in the Rain, I was intrigued to hear about Chantons sous la pluie, the French adaption making its debut at this year’s Just For Laughs Festival. Directed by Denise Filiatrault, translated and adapted by Yves Morin and starring René Simard, this show has some Francophone star power attached to it. Still, I wasn’t sure if Singin’ in the Rain could work in French. Boy, was I wrong! 

The show is set in glamorous Hollywood, during the awkward transition from silent films to talkies, and the beautiful costumes and wonderful sets do a great job of transporting the audience to that glamorous era. Renaud Paradis plays Don Lockwood, the leading man of the silent era, and Pascale Desrochers plays Lina, the leading lady who has some trouble adapting to talking films. Paradis is wonderful as Don, bringing charm and powerful dancing to the role without resorting to imitating Gene Kelly. 

Review: The Tempest

Rehearsal shot from The Tempest

Punkin' Shakespeare

Kaleidoscope takes on the last play and scores

by Valerie Cardinal

One thing is made clear from the first scene of Kaleidoscope Theatre's production of The Tempest: this is not your usual Shakespeare. The aesthetic is undeniably steampunk, with gorgeous costumes and rock music interludes. The best part? It works! A style usually associated with futuristic dystopian landscapes actually makes sense within the context of a mysterious, magical island.

The plot of The Tempest is all about the magic. Prospero, the Duke of Milan, was usurped by his brother and has been marooned on an island full of spirits and magical creatures for 12 years. When his brother and the King of Naples sail by, Prospero raises a magical tempest and strands them on the island for some good old-fashioned repentance. 

Review: Did I escape, I wonder...

When a Chamber Feels Like a Prison

A small opera is more confusing than Wagner

by Valerie Cardinal

Just after walking out of Theatre Ste. Catherine after Did I Escape, I Wonder…, there is no way I could have told you what the plot was. A day later, I’m still lost.

Review: The Mysterious Case of the Flying Anarchist

Ford: Unsafe at any speed

The real Rob Ford often feels like a caricature, and the play definitely uses this to its advantage.

by Valerie Cardinal

Review: About Freakin' Time (Zoofest)

The Adorable Unknown

It jumps from topic to topic, from trash talking two-year-olds to the pros and cons of lesbian relationships...

by Valerie Cardinal

DeAnne Smith had me charmed when she climbed onstage at Underworld with an old-fashioned alarm clock around her neck, and completely won me over when she pulled out a ukulele. I love my comedy neurotic, energetic and slightly self-deprecating, and Smith’s About Freakin’ Time delivered just that. She finds just the right balance between a comedian’s ego and insecurity, managing to relate to the audience all while twisting the familiar into something unexpected. Smith is already a pretty well-known local performer, having been listed as best comedian #3 on the Mirror’s Best of Montreal list this year, but I had never heard of her before. I left this show wondering how in the world I hadn’t.

Review: The Vindictive Vice President

The indie-go-go fund-raising pitch for The Vindictive Vice President

Romping with The Players

by Valerie Cardinal

The Vindictive Vice President, or The Detectivorial Sleuthings of

Messers Moarcock and Morgenstern in Regards to the Heinous Murder of

Mr. Ingolbladt is a cute, farcical romp. It opens well, with a nicely

written and funny murder scene. The play then turns into a full scale

investigation by bumbling detective Nathaniel Moarcock and his (maybe

a little too) capable assistant Valerie Septimus Morgenstern as they

try to track down the wealthy Mr. Ingolbladt's murderer.

Sunday Feature - Deeper into FOUR Yourself

(Photo credit: Richard Muller)

Reconsidering FOUR Yourself

Thinking longer about a play which strikes you

by Valerie Cardinal

A few years ago when I was still interested in becoming an actress, I was asked a very interesting question in a theatre school interview; what is the purpose of theatre?

At the time, I stumbled through an awkward answer about social relevance or something. After thinking deeply about last month’s performance of the MAP Collective’s FOUR Yourself, I feel like I’m a little closer to uncovering what the meaning of theatre is, at least to me. 

The piece of verbatim-style theatre has stayed with me even a month after its run, which is definitely saying something. FOUR Yourself combined filmed interviews with its three actors with references to books, movies, television shows and more. It’s a concept that was confusing, odd, a little infuriating and ultimately enlightening. 

Review: Crossroads (Fringe 2011)

Reviewed by Valerie Cardinal

I’m not going to beat around the bush; Crossroads is among the best Fringe shows I’ve seen this summer. The show itself is accurately represented in its title. Crossroads is the meeting of two cultures, a combination of the stylings of Jingju, or Beijing opera, and the Western language of English.

Review: So We Thought We Could Act (Fringe 2011)

Reviewed by Valerie Cardinal

So We Thought We Could Act is the charming story of Dolores and Beatrice, two best friends who sell their soul to the devil to follow their dream of becoming Broadway stars. Not an easy thing when Diane Jolie, the prettiest girl at their school, is always one step ahead of them.

Review: Mind Control: Hypnosis Show (Fringe 2011)

Reviewed by Valerie Cardinal

I have to admit that I didn’t get the full Spidey experience on Thursday night; it was a special mentalism show with no hypnotism involved. However, I felt like Spidey’s showmanship didn’t translate very well. He seemed insecure about his tricks and spent way too much of his show reassuring the audience that he wasn’t cheating or messing with them. Sometimes, Spidey’s self-deprecation came off as charming, but it’s mostly off-putting. Who wants to see a mentalist who isn’t confident in what he can do? Some of the tricks near the end were genuinely impressive, and I only wish the rest of the show had amazed like those moments.

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Review: Hedwig and the Angry Inch (Fringe 2011)

Reviewed by Valerie Cardinal

Since Hedwig & The Angry Inch is one of my favourite movies of all time, I was bound to either love or hate this production. Luckily, Antonio Bavaro won me over. From the moment he steps onstage in Hedwig’s head wig to the moment he takes his final bow, Bavaro is mesmerizing. He totally dominates the stage as Hedwig tells the story of how she changed from an East German boy in love with American Rock n’ Roll to a woman hopelessly in love with an American rock star.

Review: TIRED WAVE STOP! (Fringe 2011)

Reviewed by Valerie Cardinal
I’m amazed at Steve Boleantu’s endurance and commitment. TIRED WAVE STOP! is one hour of him as two characters. Boleantu not only makes it work and keeps his energy up, but he manages to make it delightful to see. Monday night’s audience may have been tiny, but I could tell everyone else was just as charmed as I was.

Review: Crazy Love (Fringe 2011)

Reviewed by Valerie Cardinal

It’s easy to see why Crazy Love was the winner of the 2010 Kit Brennan Award for Best Play. David Sklar’s script is successful at portraying a relationship that lasted one year, five months and two weeks, which isn’t an easy thing to do. Even though the story may be one often repeated – in television, movies and sadly, real life – when done well, it’s captivating.

Review: Chipmunks Ate My Bike (Fringe 2011)

Reviewed by Valerie Cardinal

Chipmunks Ate My Bike is the sweet story of how a father and daughter undertook a crazy bicycle journey from Yellowknife to Vancouver. That’s 3,000 kilometres. By bicycle. Kevin Kennedy’s story is already an amazing one, and one that is interesting to hear. Kennedy recounts how he and his fifteen-year-old daughter encountered sandhill cranes, mountain range after mountain range, huge trucks, long tunnels, sore butts, the titular chipmunks and more.

Review: Adopt This! (Fringe 2011)

Reviewed by Valerie Cardinal

Adopt This! is the hilarious and heartfelt account of Dan Bingham’s dysfunctional life. Adopted as a baby by a couple who divorced 18 months later, Dan had to face obstacles such as a strict Catholic mother, her abusive overweight boyfriend, a pathological liar father and lots of teenage mischief. Later, he meets his biologic mother and her family, a gang of hard-drinking, hard-partying Scotsmen.

It’s a stand-up routine with an interesting theme. Dan Bingham has put together a show with a lot of heart and a lot of good, strong laughs. Bingham can find the funny in even the most depressing situation, from dealing with his mom’s asshole boyfriend to setting cars on fire as an angry teen.

Review: Canuck Cabaret (Fringe 2011)

Reviewed by Valerie Cardinal

With Canuck Cabaret, Paul Hutcheson and Sharon Nowlan set out to tell Canada just how damn sexy it is and have a lot of fun doing it. The variety show puts the emphasis on the wonderful performers we have in Canada and the things they can do. And it features special guests from other Fringe shows!

I’ve been in love with Paul Hutcheson since his guest story at last Wednesday’s Smut Slam and he doesn’t disappointed here. The charming host presents some truly amusing and sometimes touching stand-up about growing up gay in small town Southern Ontario and his discovery of the lifestyle in Toronto. The variety acts are also broken up by Nowlan (aka Prairie Fire) performing various sexy interludes with a whip, fans and more.

Review: Jem Rolls is PISSED OFF (Fringe 2011)

Reviewed by Valerie Cardinal

Around the Fringe Park, Jem Rolls’s posters stand out because they’re simple; big black text on a white background that grabs your attention because that’s all there is to it. In the same way, Jem Rolls’s show, Jem Rolls IS PISSED OFF, is minimalistic. It’s just a man in front of you, combining storytelling with poetry to tell you about what makes him so pissed off.

Review: Elevated (Fringe 2011)

Reviewed by Valerie Cardinal

Based on its posters, I was expecting Elevated: Pushing Buttons to be twee. It could have used more of that and less of the cliché Hollywood romantic comedy plot it actually had.

Linda and Dylan meet in a broken elevator, and then embark in a relationship that changes both their lives. They must first survive cliché after cliché in a narrative that I found highly implausible. The outcome actually made me a little angry because I felt Dylan didn’t deserve the “happy ending” he got. I’m not sure if this was perhaps the point Joseph Ste. Marie’s script was trying to make.

Review: The Last Straight Man in Theatre (Fringe 2011)

Reviewed by Valerie Cardinal

I didn’t know what to expect out of The Last Straight Man in Theatre, but it’s certainly not what I got – and that’s a good thing. Kurt Fitzpatrick’s one-man show was like seeing a sketch comedy troop, but all the characters are played by the same guy. Fitzpatrick creates a range of fun characters, from Miss Marie, the sassy black diner waitress to Guardino, the Venezuelan male prostitute.

He interacts with projections of pre-filmed versions of his characters, perfectly timing his responses and keeping the audience on their toes by switching characters mid-scene. The group of people he portrays all live in a wacky, weird town where everyone is a little lonely and a cat of enormous proportions is on the loose.

Review: eXs and Ohs (Fringe 2011)

Reviewed by Valerie Cardinal

eXs & Ohs is literally about X’s and O’s – hugs and kisses, love and sex, the beginning and end of relationships and everything in between. It’s the story of Wendy and Cassandra, two roommates with very different goals in the area of love and lust, and Joe, Wendy’s ex, who is trying to win back her affections. It’s also a commentary on sex, love and relationships, with a few interludes breaking up the actual narrative.