Apt613 is trying to see every show on opening weekend of the 2017 Ottawa Fringe Festival. Read more reviews at apt613.ca/fringe.
Don’t See This Show
by Greg Guevara
49 min / Spoken Word, Comedy, Solo / PG
Don’t See This Show may be the “fringe-iest” performance I see at this year’s Fringe Festival.
When the usher takes your ticket, they hand you a programme. Nothing unusual about that, except this programme is a crude thing made out of cardboard, labelled “Don’t Read This Programme” and Scotch taped together. When you open it – and I bet everyone in the audience peeled back the tape – you find things like “Now look at you! I bet you feel like a real rebel for opening up this programme,” and, “Welcome to Don’t See This Show (you’re not doing a very good job of following instructions so far).”
If this makes you giggle, even a bit, then this may be a show for you.
Continuing on with the cardboard theme, the author, Greg Guevara, jumps out of a cardboard box. After rapping (rather well) for a few minutes, he promises that we’ll have some characters, some dialogue, some flashbacks, some drama, … There’s a script, ostensibly written by the Supreme Being, but it’s incomplete.
Guevara plunges into a flurry of skits to try to resolve what I think of as his Philosophy 101/First World problems. Things like loss of his childhood optimism, overwhelming cynicism, and the meaning of his life. Some of the skits are quite amusing and some – such as the Will Smith skits – fall flat.
Oh, by the way, contrary to its advertising, this isn’t a solo show. Or maybe it is. The two comely and talented women on stage with Guevara are the left and right sides of his brain. Or they are his logic and emotion. One also plays Guevara as a child, the other plays the World and Will Smith. Both accompany Guevara on ukulele and guitar (the guitarist also sings). And they do other stuff. Lots of other stuff.
A talented bunch of performers (I wish I knew the women’s names!) in a clever Fringe bauble.
Don’t See This Show by Greg Guevara is playing at Arts Court Theatre (2 Daly Ave) until Saturday June 17, 2017. Tickets cost $12 online and at the door. Visit ottawafringe.com for the show schedule and box office info.
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