Psychopaths and sociopaths want to be taken seriously. They think they’re superior. They want to demonstrate their superiority. But what if people ridiculed them? Aha! Subject them to satire. What’s a classic art form for satire? Cabaret! Singing, dancing, acting, storytelling. But you have to have the right cast. They have to be good—really good!

If celebrities had to wear polygraph probes during interviews, would they tell the truth? Would it matter?

In 1969, twelve years after West Side Story premiered, there are still gangs on the streets. One such is Tony’s South Brooklyn Boys (SBB). The Biddies, a powerful group of mothers on 5th Street, encourage them.

Fringe isn’t just attendance, word of mouth, awards or reviews. Unjuried, Fringe lets playwrights experiment. Veteran Ottawa playwright Laurie Fyffe is trying three new plays: Dammed, I Am Oil and The White Crocodile.

Margaret Atwood wrote, “Men are afraid that women will laugh at them. Women are afraid that men will kill them.” 148 women were killed in Canada last year. How do you turn those sobering thoughts into a show? If you’re Fringe veteran Alex Dallas, you turn to humour.

Fast and Furious meets Romeo and Juliet. Rom (Romeo, get it?) is driving away from Verona, mourning the loss of his beloved Rosa (Rosalind). His mechanic, Li’l Mickey (Mercutio) calls him. There’s a new rival gang of racers (the LaValles) on the streets of Verona.

Brian Carroll: When Flora’s storytelling reached its climax, several audience members were in tears.

Brian Carroll: “If you’ve been at serious loggerheads with your father from your teenage years, you may see parallels with your own life. Loucks shares insights about things he never got to say. Those insights may shape yours.”

Brian Carroll: “This is a sampler of the history, diversity and atmosphere of this unique North American treasure. Even if not everything in the show appeals to you, you can still luxuriate in Duthie’s warm-as-whisky, baritone voice.”