Rob’s (Belated) 2015 Fringe Festival Preview!

It’s Fringe Festival time in Toronto again, and I am late getting this article up. Sorry. Blame the confluence of putting on my own show which only closed on Saturday, working a 9-to-5 job, and keeping up a busy schedule of freelance journalism.

This is an interesting year for me on the Fringe – I haven’t done a Toronto Fringe since 2012, and I can’t think of a year when I’ve received fewer invitations to Fringe shows on Facebook. I wonder if I’m “aging out” of the cohort of artists who are doing the Fringe Festival, or if it’s just luck of the draw.

A glance through the schedule this year seems to show that the increasing presence of sketch comedy in the festival is continuing apace – almost to the extent that it makes me question if all these huge sketch troupes are gaming the lottery by having every member enter separately. And with the possibility of winning new awards for sketch comedy this year, it’s no surprise that there’s even more interest than usual.

OK! Moving swiftly forward through my picks.

THE SURE BETS

I can call these shows sure bets because I’ve actually seen them already.

Since this is late, I can say I saw Gavin Crawford’s “Friend” “Like” #Me last night at the Annex Theatre, and can attest that it is yet another brilliantly funny, insightful, and surprisingly poignant take on how social media is changing the world for the better and worse. Get your tickets fast because this will sell out.

Australian comedian Jon Bennett is one of my favourites on the Fringe circuit, and he’s finally brought his show “Pretending Things Are A Cock” to Toronto. I saw this ages ago – I want to say in Winnipeg in 2010 – and yes, it is pretty much what it says on the tin. Bennett presents a slide show of pictures of him and his fans (yes) posing with objects, monuments, and people, and pretending they’re cocks. But all that’s really just a springboard for Bennett’s hilarious stories and sharp observations on modern life. He’s got three other shows that have toured the rest of the circuit, so hopefully a successful run of Cock will see him bring the others here in due course.

(He also sells a book version of “Pretending Things Are A Cock”, which I own and cherish.)

If you didn’t see “Morro and Jasp Do Puberty” when it was at the Fringe in 2008, shame on you. The clown girls are hilarious and this is among their best shows. This show is already selling out from what I hear, so do book your tickets in advance.

A LATE ADDITION

I want to give some prominence to my recommendation for Jem Rolls’ new show “The Inventor of All Things” as he’s a late addition to the festival (as in, this week), and thus he’s not in the program and has no publicity. He’s well known to fringers though, from his annual visits to do his performance poetry. His shows are always a great experience, and if you’ve seen any of them, surely you’ll want to be back again. He’s on at the Tarragon Mainspace, replacing “For Better or Worse” on the schedule.

THE PRETTY-SURE BETS

I’m Right Here” is a song-cycle about social media and online dating, directed by Steven Gallagher (the genius who directed my show “First Day Back”) and featuring among others, the always brilliant Ryan Kelly. I’m definitely looking forward to this one.

Jeff Leard is a dynamo of a physical comedian, as seen in his previous hits “The Show Must Go On” (which I dramaturged) and “Sperm Wars.” This time, he’s performing a solo show written by hitmaker Ron Fromstein (“The Big Smoke”), with a familiar sex-and-sci-fi bent: “Zach Zultana: Space Gigalo.” Can’t wait to see it.

I’m going to give a tentative recommendation to “Let’s Start A Country” – an improve comedy by a Montreal duo. I saw this in Montreal in 2012 and thought it was hilarious, but it’s being performed here by two other guys using the same basic set-up (i.e., the entire theatre secedes from Canada and the audience is parliament, and the two guys are the leaders), with Jeff Leard guest-starring. It was a lot of fun with the other guys, but it’ll come down to how the replacements, whom I’ve never seen on stage, handle it.

Past Fringe New Play Contest Winner (2008’s “Wake”) Rachel Blair is back after a long absence with “A Man Walks Into A Bar,” a tense and comic look at gender dynamics. I met Rachel at last year’s Banff Colony and have been consistently been impressed with her wit and theatrical daring. This should be great. A warning: this show’s opening night sold out, so book your tickets in advance.

The Orchid and The Crow” is a new one-man show by Daniel Tobias, better known as Otto Rot of the faux-German Australian punk rock duo Die Rotten Punkte. The show is based on Daniel’s experience as a cancer survivor which sounds like heavier material than we’re used to from him, but all the reviews talk about “comedy gold.” Dan’s another one of those guys who is just incredibly smart and compelling on stage, so this is surely a can’t miss.

Everyone Loves Marineland Sealand” features most of the cast of last year’s brilliant sketch show “Everything’s Fine” and it’s a musical about Marineland Sealand. How could this possibly be anything but awesome. You may have already heard that actual Marineland has threatened to sue the show out of existence already (which, c’mon, they must have expected with that title), so you may want to get to the early shows just in case.

Peter n’ Chris Present: Here Lies Chris” is the latest by the three-time Canadian Comedy Award winning duo. Their shows are always brilliant, and I wouldn’t be surprised if they sell out the Randolph Theatre regularly.

Ok, I’ve never seen the “Redheaded Coffee Shop Girl” shows, but everyone loves them. She’s back with “Adventures of a Redheaded Coffee Shop Girl,” so it’s on my list.

2 Ruby Knockers, 1 Jaded Dick: A Dirk Darrow Investigation” is the latest in Australian magician-comedian Tim Motley’s series of one-man noir detective parodies. I saw his last one in Victoria in 2012, and it was wall-to-wall jokes and deft sleight-of-hand. Truth, your mileage on his schtick will likely vary with your tolerance for puns, which range from brilliant to groan-worthy (see the title). I personally think even the worst puns are great, so I highly recommend this.

Cootie Catcher” is the latest by NYC comedian Lucas Brooks, last here with “5’4” VGL Top.” This one is a comic look at STIs.

Hamlet… A Puppet Epic” is the latest Shakey-Shake Production, which, despite being in Fringe Kids, has a reputation for entertaining adults just as much.

FROM THE CANON

I tend not to see productions of published plays at the Fringe, but it is a good opportunity to get a cheap ticket to a good script.

Some of the productions from the canon include: The Woolgatherer (Annex Theatre), Twelfe Night (St. Vladimir), Ninety, and Skunkweed (Theatre Passe Muraille), and The Merry Wives of Windsor (Victory Café).

JUST BONKERS

How could you pass up shows with these titles? Presented without commentary: Johnny Legdick, A Rock Opera, Jizz Sock, Porn & Pinochet, You and that Fucking Gorilla, and Two Girls, One Corpse.

In all likelihood, I won’t be able to catch all 22 of these, what with the commitments listed above, but I’m going to do my best. And failing that, I’ll see you around the Fringe Tent. Break legs everyone involved!