10 to watch for at the 2016 Winnipeg Fringe Festival
Joff Schmidt | CBC News | Posted: July 11, 2016 4:34 PM | Last Updated: July 13, 2016
Keep an eye out for these promising productions at the Fringe
With nearly 170 shows opening this week at the Winnipeg Fringe Festival, which should you have on your list?
The reviews are still to come, but here are 10 I'm looking forward to seeing at this year's festival:
1. The Drowning Girls (Venue 1): This three-woman show ran at the Royal MTC Warehouse back in 2011, but it originated as a Fringe hit in Edmonton. This stylish, creepy show about marriage and murder gets its return with a local company boasting a good Fringe track record.
2. The Elephant Girls (Venue 2): Not to be confused with The Drowning Girls — though this one gets a little dark too. Margo MacDonald's solo show about a notorious British girl gang is based on a true story, and comes to town with much acclaim from other festivals.
3. Everybody Dies in December (Venue 11): Nancy Kenny had a big hit here a couple of years ago with Roller Derby Saved My Soul. This year, she's back with a dark comedy about a third-generation funeral director. It's inspired in part by stories from her mom, who works as a real-life funeral director.
4. Falling Awake (Venue 2): A promising entry for those who like physical comedy, this surreal show about a woman who encounters her dead lover in dreams is another show with much acclaim from other festivals.
5. Jazz Cat (Kids Venue): As anyone who saw Opera Mouse knows, Melanie Gall has an incredible voice — and a gift for sharing music with kids. A great bet for your young Fringers.
6. Jonno (Venue 6): Sure to be one of the most talked-about shows at the festival, this play from former Winnipegger Alix Sobler deals with a famous radio personality and the women he's assaulted — and his confidant, a stuffed toy named Mr. Donkey Long-Ears. Sound familiar? A talented local cast takes on this provocative new play.
7. A Little Business at the Big Top (Venue 6): David Gaines brought the spectacular 7(x1) Samurai to the Winnipeg Fringe a few years back. He returns with a circus-themed show that should let him show off his remarkable talents as a physical performer.
8. My Dreams Are Stupid (Venue 3): Local comedian and storyteller J.D. Renaud made a splash with his 2014 Fringe hit, Damn Your Eyes. For good reason — he's sharp, funny and one heck of a storyteller.
9. A Tension to Detail (Venue 5): There are plenty of one-person storytelling shows at this year's Fringe. But this one, from Brit Gerard Harris, arrives here as a hit from other fests.
10. zahgidiwin/love (Venue 4): Frances Koncan is one of Winnipeg's most promising up-and-coming playwrights. This is one of two new works from her at this year's festival (the other is Flesh-Coloured Crayons). It's billed as a "decolonial comedy" that looks at how trauma reverberates across generations.