Espen Wang

So whimsical! So silly! I loved the performances, the gags, and the fairy tale vibe. Really energetic and charming acting from the two leads covered up moments that felt a bit slow or meandering. Lots of purple prose but not to the point of being grating if you’re buying into the whole thing, which I was.

The plot felt very nothing at all for the first 3/4, then all at once at the end. I have a really high tolerance for slice-of-life art and was enjoying just seeing these two lovely people interact, so I was actually kind of shocked that the plot came in that late! I wish it had either stayed the way it was going, or the plot had moved along a bit earlier so it didn't feel so rushed right at the end.

There were a lot of really charming and genuinely impressive moments of set design and prop work in here. I’m a simple man so I think I’m always gonna get got by water on stage, but also the little doll for stunts and the wiggly sound maker really delighted me!! I was a bit worried by the audience participation disclaimers on the ticket site because I came into this super jet lagged, but I think they struck a great balance and had a good amount, and nothing too high pressure. The actors were great at playing off awkward and lacklustre audience responses on the fly, which was unsurprising considering the kinds of comedic works I’ve seen them in before.

Overall I enjoyed the tone and thought this would be a slam dunk play for families. A lot of the jokes and exaggerated acting would play perfectly for kids while making the adult audience feel like kids.

The onion was diabolical though. I had to cover my eyes because I was so distressed on the actor's behalf. Someone get this person a Sterling Award just for that whew.

Review from Nov 8:

So much to chew on here. I wish I’d been able to see it more than once, but my plane literally arrived a few hours before this final show so I’m just grateful that I got to see it at all. I didn't see the reading of this play a few years ago, so I’m only going off of what was shown tonight.

I really enjoyed what I saw as a lot of post-modern elements used to great effect. The almost mise-en-abyme structure where images and memories and ghosts are replicated and reiterated so many times in dream-like and destabilizing ways was very compelling and actually one of my favourite styles of narrative across mediums so this really worked for me.

I appreciate that you could really tell that the playwright was questioning the ethics of audience and the point at which empathy/sympathy can tip towards voyeurism/exploitation when making art. A lot of this came through in dialogue, and the entire concept of filmmaking and actors' performances being projected onto the wall behind them simultaneously (which was very smart), but also strikingly in two scenes: one where two characters have their first honest conversation only when the lights go out, and another where the characters retread a traumatic location offstage in the final scene. We are inside of these moments in that we have witnessed the complexity of these characters leading up to these moments, but we're also outside of them in what would be a climactic close-up shot were this a typical oscar bait-y film. I enjoy when art doesn't show us everything on purpose.

I also think that a lot of art feels the need to justify itself whether that's because of grant/funding models, the hollywoodification of art, a lack of faith in the audience, etc.). Sometimes we get stories that take a really clear stance on a complex issue, and work their way backwards from that, which can then feel inevitable and thus uninteresting. I think tough guy rode that line of courting complexity around so many questions (queerness in public life/perception, violence against queer communities, queer joy, ownership of trauma stories, voyeurism/witnessing, the ethics of activism or the "right" way to move through politically fraught events, etc.) without feeling like a smarmy know-it-all playing devil's advocate.

If I were to critique anything, there were some moments where I felt dialogue became a bit didactic, like the playwright was speaking to the audience through a character to really drive the point home. As an audience member, I don't really like this way of emphasizing a thesis, but then, I’m not a playwright, so I don't really know if there is/was a better way for this play in particular that felt like a puzzle box of various thoughts and questions still coming together cohesively at the end (a feat in itself!).

The writing was really the star of the show for me here, though I am biased since I know the playwright. However, aside from that, they really found a wonderful cast of actors who brought a distinct feel and to each character, which can be tricky in an ensemble. The lighting and sound was phenomenal, as many have already said. Less was more with the set; lots of negative space for ghosts to haunt. I look forward to seeing the awards recognition this play will receive in the future.

Paul is certainly a talented storyteller. Intonation, pauses, onomatopoeia, vocal effects were all well done. I also appreciated that there were some interesting lighting choices being made, as sometimes I feel the downfall of a storytelling show is the lack of any visual interest; what differentiates you from a podcast if there’s nothing to see?

That being said, the stories themselves were disappointing. I like my horror creative and subversive. These were pretty typical stories with predictable endings. I’d like to see him bring stories that are more challenging (unusual, unexpected, disruptive) to his shows.

This show didn’t jive with my sense of humor. I felt that a lot of the jokes were low-hanging fruit despite the unique premise. As someone with experience in non-profits, there were some situations and jokes in here that were pretty relatable, but relatability wasn’t really enough to make this a must-watch for me.

I was shocked to see generative AI images used in the slideshow during the show. It is always disappointing to see artists using tools that exploit other artists. Generative AI use is the fastest way to guarantee that I, personally, will not attend another play by the theatre company that uses it. Not only is it morally indefensible, but it’s also just boring. It’s funnier to have bad photoshop, childish drawings, or frankensteined clip art than ugly and uncanny genAI. Seeing these images soured my experience of the show.

I found a lot of scenes in this show to be predictable and a bit cliche for this style of show. In a landscape of many many shows centered around anthropomorphic animals (Field Zoology, Enrichment Hour, The Human Cat Experience, etc.), how do you differentiate yourself? Audiences go in expecting the typical jokes about mating, birthing, behaviour, etc. All of these typical jokes were present, and many scenes extended past the point of humor and into awkward dead air. I would’ve liked this show more had it been a bit more original and tightened up a bit.

My favourite scene was the exaggerated gigantic egg birthing that moved into something a little subtler and quieter as one bird opened several empty eggs. That scene stood out as something new, a little vulnerable and unique.

It was fine. I ended up checking the time a lot. The murder happening 40min into a 60min show felt way too late, especially given how slow the start was. Nothing in this really wowed me, except that they had live accompaniment. All of it (performances, stage, writing) was just ok. I think plays are rarely served by having the playwright direct the show.

Oh I loved this. I thought the script was great; very funny, gothic, dark and ended in a perfect full-circle moment. I didn’t get bored once even though the show ran over time (80min).

The performances were INSANE. They were so tight and fast-paced that I can only shudder at the thought of all the rehearsals they must have had. The actors did a fantastic job of being campy while also drawing the audience into their problems and feelings. The energy was unmatched; this felt like watching a marathon-length sprint. Not to mention the physical comedy. This show was PACKED with thoughtful acting decisions.

The stage was also so fun. Gorey-esque set, lots of opportunities for creative blocking and movement across the stage. Lighting and sound easily kept up with the breakneck pace of this show to great effect. They had these techs Working!

I will certainly be keeping an eye on these artists in the future.

I’ve been a fan of Marv n Berry for a long time, and I make a point to see them every fringe. It was really nice to see some of my favourite sketches from them again, and I think this was a nice summary of what they're best at: hilarious, unexpected, tight sketches. Here’s to another 10 years!

This was not for me. The singing was great, but it felt like a meandering concert and I wanted more of the historical storytelling. I struggled to stay attentive to the show. If you are happy to listen to some historically-relevant operatic singing, and not so concerned with an engaging storyline or theatricality, then this you will like this show.

Phenomenal, even better than last year. I loved that the show was focused around a more specific theme this year, which made the anthology feel more coherent. Costumes, sets, all intricate and delightful to look at. Songs were all bangers. Host cracked solid jokes and kept it moving and focused. Very fuckin weird and spooky and fun performances of a diversity of styles. I hope they can get even bigger venues in the future. This show is quickly becoming a Fringe tradition for me.