Bruce Burwell: “The thing that keeps us engaged throughout is John Michael’s sincerity. You don’t run around a stage in your underwear holding a picture of your dead mother unless you really miss her. So we do believe that he needs her back.”
Barbara Popel: “I was expecting a less-than-polished coming of age monologue …. Instead, I got a polished, funny, touching story from a talented charming performer. Within a few minutes, she had the audience (yours truly included) in the palm of her hand.”
Brian Carroll: “These two delightful plays for the price of one are a real Fringe bargain … The opening night audience laughed heartily at Anton Chekhov’s The Proposal and they did the same for the premiere of Laurie Fyffe’s sequel, The Ring.”
Julia Bueneman: “I can only imagine that this show will get all the more silly and precise as the Fringe goes on and no iteration will ever be exactly the same—it was lovely to witness their first show.”
Emmanuelle Gingras: “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Becoming a Woman is about breaking barriers; it’s about love; it’s about an ex-future wife, it’s about “Girls Just Want to Have Fun”—but mostly, it’s about unapologetically being your true self.”
Amanda Dookie: “In his act, Michael described how his disability affects his day-to-day life, by shedding light on certain common situations that disabled people find themselves in that may be less than desirable, such as travelling and attending events at venues that are not wheelchair accessible.”
The trials of capitalism are on display in Hi, How Are You? Emmanuelle Gingras: “Hi, How Are You underlines with humor the issues stemming from major socio-economic gaps. In other words, “The client is always right” applies to those who don’t have the privilege to think otherwise.”
Jennifer Cavanagh: “Rachelle Elie a straight shooter intermingling her personal story to punchlines on the mundanity of marriage, the outdatedness of heterosexuality, the evolution of porn, the power of sex and showstopper tunes like ’50 and Fucking.'”
Barbara Popel: “Rob Gee uses his considerable talents and his 12 years of experience as a psychiatric nurse to bring us into the world of dementia sufferers, their families, and their caregivers. As CBC Manitoba said, it’s ‘as funny—and heartbreaking—as hell.’”
Julia Bueneman: “Forbidden City! is everything from surprising chaos to heartwarming, and Dockery pulls it all together in a truly incredible way. If you can manage to get tickets, this is a ride you don’t want to miss!”
Gauthier and Caplan: “Judging by the packed room and constant laughter, this is bound to be a Fringe favourite.”
Amanda Dookie: “Despite the burdening and encumbering aspects of osteoarthritis explained by Catherine, the name of the play is ABLE for a reason. Catherine admits that while she could let the disease bring her down, she doesn’t let it stop her.”
The Shenkman Arts Centre presents its 2021/2022 season, where a variety of dance, comedy, and music for you to enjoy, with plenty of options through early April.
Brewery Comedy Nights presents Comedy on the Water: The Pirate Ship Comedy Hour, comedy performances happening on a boat throughout the summer and early fall. Come aboard a pirate ship, sail the open waters and laugh along to jokes from Canadian comedians while having a few drinks along the ride.
Brian Carroll: “If you just want some yuks, spend your cash elsewhere. But if you like plays where you have to work at understanding what’s going on, shell out your money and take a chance.”
