Brad Carter

It’s rare to see a science fiction label applied to a Fringe show, I couldn’t resist. The futuristic setting and premise has a lot to say about the present day situation of many immigrants in Canada and around the world. I found the characters interesting and engaging, I was invested in their outcomes. The projected visuals are outstanding, inspired by the retro-future look from the Alien movies. It works really well, looks impressive, and adds to the story. I took a chance on this one and it really paid off. Recommended.

Taking a single word suggestion from the audience, the ensemble instantly created an entertaining improvised musical. The performers are talented improvisers, singers, and dancers and it is a joy to see them play on stage. You can see the rough scaffolding that the production hangs off of, but the cast isn’t afraid to break the rules and pursue directions that pay off. Not every sketch hits, but you’ll be amazed how many do and how often a moving song materializes out of the chaos. Highly recommended.

Polished and effortless. The cast knows their characters so well we are completely convinced and instantly enamoured. A series of touching vignettes give insight to the big and little moments that make up a relationship over decades. A few unexpected choices and reveals only make it all seem more real. The love between Evie and Alfie feels genuine, and I genuinely loved watching it on stage.

I already know to go see anything produced by Mixtape Projects. They have the secret sauce to take musicals to the next level. The show is dense: each character gets his or her time, everything pays off. The pace is impressive: it’s musical theatre at 1.5x speed. The production asks a lot of its young cast, and somehow they rise to the challenge and surpass expectations. The “younger siblings” duo are stand-outs: incredible young performers. Like the other Mixtape Projects shows, I could easily imagine this mounted on a larger scale. Highly recommended.

Despite rich source material and great talent and effort, this musical is becalmed by some problems. Though billed as “songs” for Moby Dick, the capable operatic singing and musical accompaniment don’t gel into distinct songs. The lyrics stay too true to the original text when some creative reinterpretation and rearrangement would have been welcome. Finally, the excellent vocal performance delivered without a mic was sometimes drowned out by a too-powerful score (though this may have been corrected since the premiere performance).

It does what it says on the tin: audiences will recognize many familiar Fringes tropes, premises, and devices in this mood-board-become-a-show. It features several recognizable stars from Fringe and venues around Toronto. With an emphasis on the zany and absurd, most of the sketches pay off. The risky attempt of improv with Middle-Earth's worst improviser is excellent, hampered a little by PA issues. The show is very self-aware and offers a meta commentary on our beloved Fringe. A joy for veteran Fringers and a great introduction for those new to the Fringe.

Timely premise with some interesting staging ideas. Before the show, the cast circulated among the audience to interview travellers entering the USA and Canada. They deftly combined the expected questions at the border with quirky, open-ended questions that yielded great material to work with later in the show. Giving the border itself a personality and physical presence onstage was clever and opened up interesting opportunities. The performers bring big energy, but occasionally a setup or punchline is drowned out by exuberance. An attempt to use an interesting corner of the stage sometimes results in poor lighting and awkward blocking. The show is a success, unfortunately the unique manner in which the show ends denies the audience a chance to demonstrate their appreciation.

Savvy Fringe-goers will recognize several names associated with this production and should hurry to book tickets to a show that's sure to sell-out . The 75 minute runtime is slightly longer than the typical Fringe sketch show. This allows the interview portion at the top to meander a bit to help the performers uncover gems to work into the sketches. Those sketches are given time to develop fully and usually pay off. The cast does a good job of subverting expectations and warping the subject matter for comedic impact. One gets the feeling we are seeing performers coalesce into the stars they will one day become. Stand-out performance from Brennan Ashbridge, who is surely on the verge of fame.