FRINGE: 3 shows of physical theatre
Edmonton has quite a robust contemporary dance scene. A few local groups are presenting their work at the Fringe, as well as some out-of-towners – which gives a nice juxtaposition of styles and themes for the audience to compare. Some people still complain that physical theatre and dance is inaccessible (or just plain weird), but […]
FRINGE: 4 comedies
Laughter is the grease that keeps the Fringe rolling along. From sophisticated British burlesques to the pie-in-the-face American vaudeville farce, the comedy listing in the Fringe program is longer than any other – some 65 shows promise to get you laughing. Here are four wide-ranging productions that you might consider. There is a lively stand-up […]
FRINGE: 4 shows about religion
It’s good they still have a “religious content” warning in the Fringe program – but they should go a little further: Believer or Non-Believer. For there’s nothing worse for a heathen than expecting a good old God-bashing rant at the Fringe only to find a bunch of True Believers have commandeered the event as a […]
FRINGE: 4 swell musicals
The Fringe is oft a bouquet of music, a transport of melody or even a delirious grab bag of song and dance. Let’s start with the delirious. There was once an East German girly/boy named Hansel who longed to be a singer in a rock band. He also wanted to be a girl but the […]
FRINGE: 3 shows with nudity
Dropping your pants is a sure-fire way to pack a Fringe house. Performances flagged with the “nudity” warning in the program usually have pretty decent crowds, because let’s face it: we’re all a bunch of perverts. However, while the idea of seeing a live naked person on stage is titillating, it’s not something to be […]
FRINGE: 4 spooky shows
Occurring in the doldrums of August, the Fringe might not seem the likeliest place for spooky tales. But each year always presents at least a few shows that dabble in the darker side, that smack of the paranormal, or that aim to generally give the audience a few thrills and chills. They aren’t in particular […]
FRINGE: 5 shows by Masters
They are the Masters of the Fringe. They stand, like the Colossus of old, towering over our annual theatrical binge, carrying a record of past hits. These are the names to check first because they are the ones who quickly sell out. Such is Stewart Lemoine. He wrote his first play, All These Heels for […]
Rockers rock Edmonton Rock Festival
People like Kim Mitchell and Randy Bachman have played here so much that we take them for granted. These guys are world-class artists who’ve put a lot of rock standards on the scoreboard, but around here they’re just part of the landscape, ignored, sometimes even scorned by younger generations. If you miss them now, hey, […]
Team GigCity Fringe Rises!
Here’s a first: GigCity is going to be reviewing actual plays at the Edmonton International Fringe Theatre Festival this year – led by esteemed local theatre critic Colin Maclean, who’s still gung-ho at the age of 80. In the past, we merely lurked on the periphery of Edmonton’s most interesting festival – with stories about […]
MUSIC PREVIEW: The Rock must go on
The letdown for all the folkies from the Edmonton Folk Music Festival is indeed palpable. There are a number of well-heeled mavens in the city who believe, and it’s quite possibly true, that the vast majority of folkies don’t go to many shows the rest of the year. It makes sense. After all, 100,000 people […]
