Toronto Fringe Festival: Geek Style
There are 150 different play/performances at Toronto’s 26th annual Fringe Festival, which runs until Sunday July 13th. Not surprisingly there are a number of them with a geeky slant. I, your intrepid reporter, have delved into the program and listened to the buzz to present to you – Geeky plays at Fringe! All plays at the Fringe are $12 in advance or $10 at the door, but this year there is no guarantee of door tickets.
As it’s only been two days, it would have been impossible for me to see all of these (although I did manage to see three of them so far). Instead, I’ve listed them in alphabetical order. (No judgments)
This image says it all!
Al Green Theatre – (JCC Spadina & Bloor)
A 60 minute comedy/musical approach to the effect of social media on life events.
Aiden Flynn Lost His Brother, So He Made Another
Tarragon Theatre Extra Space – 30 Bridgman Avenue just east of Bathurst, north of Dupont
Using movement, music , and shadow puppets this play explores the Frankenstein’s Monster trope from the point of view of a son who wants to patch his family back together with a new brother. (60 minutes)
Not sure if tea is included
The Fringe Tent – (behind Honest Ed’s) – PWYC
This year’s presentation by the Monkeyman Production involves the creator of Cthulhu and Yog-Sothoth interacting with the audience.
And we all fall down
The Labyrinth Lounge – 298 Brunswick Avenue just south of Bloor
This play effectively uses multimedia to explore five characters trapped in a bar after the CN Tower has fallen, news and internet stopped working, and a uniformed force has invaded the streets. A local post-apocalyptic tale – where you can buy a libation to drink before the play! (Site specific plays can be fun like that!) (60 minute)
Dr. Frightful Presents: Dead Air
Randolph Theatre – 736 Bathurst (just south of the Honest Ed complex)
Done in the style of the golden age of radio plays, this story of an apocalypse with flesh eating crazies sounds like too much fun to miss. (60 minutes)
Theatre Passe Muraille Backspace – 16 Ryerson Avenue (just north of Queen, just east of Bathurst)
In a switch up from the normal end of the world, we’re all going to die scenario, Here After presents a world where everyone is immortal, and what do you do after that? Especially if you’ve been trapped in a bunker for a few hundred years. (55 minutes)
One of the musical numbers. photo credit: Jam Hamidi
Kitt & Jane: An Interactive Survival Guide to the near Apocalyptic Future
Helen Gardiner Phelan Playhouse – 79A St. George (south of Harbord)
A play that requests you use the hashtags #Salmon #Hijack #Chard and #Apocalypse clearly is enough to intrigue me, and this is one that I saw. The two actors fully embodied the 14 year olds who take over a school assembly and using shadow play, fun musical selections, including an xylophone, and ‘dramatic re-enactments’ discuss the options after the end of the world as we know it. (75 minutes)
Palmerston Library – Palmerston just north of Bloor
This is one of the Fringe Kids offerings which states its age range at 4-9 and has siblings embarking on a journey to the moon, but how will they get home? Sci fi is for all ages! (45 minutes)
Where’s the Derby?
Tarragon Extra Space – 30 Bridgman Ave North of Dupont, just east of Bathurst
The title alone grabbed my attention, and then the description of ” Comics, fandom and the struggles of the introvert. In a world of tropes, one woman gets off the couch and unleashes the hero within” pushed it way up the to see list. (60 minutes)
Annex Theatre – 736 Bathurst just south of the Randolf theatre 1 block south of Bloor
Yup it’s what you think it is – a sex/sci-fi mash up!
You Detective
Randolph Theatre – 736 Bathurst (1 block south of Bloor)
I chose this one for its reference to “Choose-Your-Own- Adventure” style of sketch theatre, rather than for a geeky premise. I adored those style of books growing up, can’t wait to see what this troupe does with the plot of a kidnapped mayor. (60 minutes)
If you know of other geeky offerings at the Fringe, please comment! Share the love!
