Robyn C
This is the absolute best Fringe show I have seen so far. An incredible use of an alternative venue, and the show I attended included extra humour in the form of confused Waffle Bird patrons and people on the street trying to figure out what exactly was going on.
This show is a very unique experience with some of the best performances and the tightest, funniest Fringe script you will find this season. I cannot recommend it enough, and get your tickets early as the venue is small and some shows are selling out!!
Every element of this production - from the performances, to the design, to the script - feels fully committed. Nothing is held back, and this leads to an incredible audience experience. Rain and Eli have wickedly in-sync chemistry and are giving outstanding performances both individually and in lock-step with the other's choices. The cryptic yet subtle set design and evocative lighting enhance the mood and guide you along as the twins immerse you into their terrifying and disturbingly realistic world.
The lack of a full 5 stars is due to several content warnings that were not included on the Fringe website that I strongly believe should have been included, as although I extremely enjoyed the show there were moments that I almost had to leave due to content I was not expecting. I will include the warnings below, but if you aren't concerned about the content and don't want spoilers please don't keep reading.
Content Warnings not included but should be: Cannibalism, Child Sexual Assault
A fantastic follow-up to the indescribable experience that was last year's Soup and Hogan's 16th Annual Hot Dog Eating Contest. While not quite as original or cohesive as last year, this show is truly hilarious and packed full of jokes, goofs, and gags that will leave you laughing no matter what. Ali Foster-Balloun's physical comedy and timing is a major stand-out in this show, worthy of its own shout-out. The music has also taken a big step up since last year and the cast sings it extremely well.
They are somewhat limited by their venue. The large cast seems cramped on such a small stage, and the sightlines aren't great unless you're in the very center of the front row.
Top Bunk is steadily rising in terms of comedy and musical theatre in Edmonton, and I'm extremely excited to see how they evolve
A very impressive show produced by emerging artists coming out of MacEwan's new Music Theatre Performance BFA program! The harmonies are absolutely breathtaking, the composition and musical direction are strong, and the choreography was well thought out and executed extremely well. Self producing an original musical at this scale is not easy and the level of work put into this production is incredible.
The ensemble are fully committed to their characters and blend into each other well while also standing out individually, and Kohen Foley and Katie Moran as the leads have excellent chemistry together. The costumes are beautiful, and the set is simple while still evoking the charm of a small town in Ireland.
That being said, there are a couple elements of the production that detract from the whole. Because I saw it on opening night, however, I feel some things will sort themselves out once the show settles in fully.
The live band breathes life into the score, but the lack of mics combined with the (admittedly impressive) Irish accents means that the band drowns out most of the intricacies of the lyrics. When the chorus sings at full strength and matches the band's volume it is perfect, but any solo lines are near impossible to hear with any clarity. If I saw it again, I would sit closer to the stage to try and catch more of Ethan Bintu-Watt's carefully crafted lyrics.
Additionally, this is the only Fringe show I have ever been to or heard of that has an intermission. A break in the story after only 30 minutes confused both myself and people around me. I also feel that the intermission also does a disservice to the story as it's self contained enough that the audience doesn't require a break; this could absolutely stand on its own as a one-act musical. Further development could warrant a break into two acts, but at this stage it doesn't need it.
This show has enormous potential, and I would absolutely recommend seeing the show again to see this fantastic group of artists explore and discover this beautiful story night after night.