Shayne Demchuk

The Words Left Behind

This heartfelt production was a gorgeous tale told by Jean-Paul Fournier. The show of Story of a Storyteller, Telling a Story, about a Story was beautifully well-written. It provided the audience with some laughs, some tears, and everything in between.

Fournier told two harmonious stories, their connection was a little blurry, but fit perfectly together in the end. His stunning transitions between them were perfectly executed, and appropriately placed every time. Each transition was intentionally placed so that they fit perfectly, and didn’t confuse the audience.

His amazing imagery in each scene provided the audience with the ability to picture every moment in their heads. He described the people surrounding him in a way that made them seem familiar. Fournier was very open with the audience, describing his experience with enthusiasm and passion. When he was telling the story he did not hide any of his feelings. He was extremely vulnerable, and honest in every part of the show.

This show is for those who love a heartfelt, and amusing story. The production of Story of a Storyteller, Telling a Story, about a Story left the audience in awe. This show was gorgeously executed with wonderfully tied together stories and deep devotion to the art of storytelling.

A Watson of the Theatre

Chris Gibbs took the stage as gullible Barnaby Gibbs, as he struggles to solve the case of, “Why would Antoine Feval work with Gibbs?” His witty performance was an astounding portrayal of the real life Sherlock Holmes and Watson.

Gibbs was able to not only play the fumbling fool that is Barnaby Gibbs, but also play the role of sly Aintoine Feval, and every character in between. His amazing ability to change voices to each character was astounding, and with each character he portrayed he brought a different mannerism to demonstrate what kind of person they were.

His beautiful use of words and passion in his acting, was captivating for the audience from the second he entered to the ending blackout. He was able to include unique details of the audience based on reactions, and personalize the performance.

A show of wit and intrigue. This exquisite production was amazingly well-worded, well-acted, and captivating. Gibbs put on a wonderful show that provided the audience with lots of laughs, mystery, and a little lighthearted entertainment.

An Old Fashioned Party

The Real Black Swann: Confessions of America's First Black Drag Queen was a beautifully deep production by Les Kurkendaal-Barrett. The story of William Dorsey Swann partially remains unknown to the world, being black, gay, and a drag queen was not a positive thing in the late 1800s, but Kurkendaal-Barrett took the stage representing the beauty and importance of their history.

Kurkendaal-Barrett did an amazing job acting out both himself as he enters a drug induced dream, and portraying Swann. His ability to switch between himself, and the queen that is Swann was unbelievably astonishing. His tone and body language transitioned perfectly with each change.

His use of Glinda the Good witch’s bubble as a representation of protection was a beautiful demonstration of how you can’t always numb your pain. I was surprised at how well he was able to fit it into the show. I don’t know about the rest of the audience, but I felt very seen by this part of the show.

This production was a beautiful look at the hardships of history told in an elegant way. Kurkendaal-Barrett did a wonderful job portraying his hardships and the ones Swann faced. I will not soon forget this sentimental production, as it taught me so much about the history of the first queer activist in the USA.

Two Truths and Triumph

Story Story Lie is a comedic production where three Fringe performers take the stage, and try to trick the audience into believing their story is true. The three contestants change every show so you never know which Fringe performer is going to take the stage.

Jo Dworschak directed and hosted the show, her enthusiastic personality started the show off excellently. All throughout the show she provided comedic commentary that elevated the humor of the show. Her ability to convey real emotions on stage made the audience even more intrigued as to which story was false.

The contestants Bil Lepp, Keith Brown, and Willow Rosenberg provided the audience with comedy gold, their amazing ability to answer questions on the fly was remarkable for the true and the false stories. Each story was unique, and beautifully articulated. The contestants each had their own creative story to tell the audience, some stranger than others.

The audience was able to be a part of the show by providing the contestants with questions about their story throughout the show. At the end of the show the audience was able to partake in a vote as to who they thought was lying.

This interactive experience was extremely well done and stunningly comical. If you enjoy hilarious stories, a game show experience, and an interactive encounter this is the show for you. The enthusiastic host and contestants provided a stimulating show.

It’s more fun to not be an ingenue

This original production of I Ain’t No Ingenue but I (used to) Sing Like One was a fabulous representation that young women don’t always have all the fun. Christie Mawer, Jason Duiker, and Gary Gilham put on splendid performances with their songs, acting, and intricate props.

Mawer took to the stage with her beautiful, operatic voice. Her phenomenal rendition of “Think of Me” from Phantom of the Opera was an outstanding piece. She perfectly executed the high notes of the role. She provided the audience with a therapy session that let the audience feel welcome in the space.

The show's live pianist, Gilham, created a beautiful soundtrack including songs from The Sound of Music, Bye Bye Birdie, and Into the Woods. His talent shined bright as he perfectly executed each note.

Duiker provided some comedy to the production with his amazing chemistry with Mawer. His acting was very campy, and elevated the show. Every scene he partook in was taken to another level by his relentless spark. Duiker was always acting, especially with his terrific body language.

The show's use of props was superb, each song had its own unique piece that helped establish the concept. The seamless incorporation of the pieces was beautifully done by Mawer and Duiker, who helped make sure that everything was ready when needed.

I Ain’t No Ingenue but I (used to) Sing Like One was a splendid show. You could tell that Mawer, Duiker, and Gilham put a lot of time and energy into the production. It was a dazzling performance that I highly recommend watching.

Chasing Ghosts with Nostalgia

Good Old Days is a sentimental story of two ex-best-friends haunted by each other. In a fever dream the two are sent wandering in a hail storm in July, searching for the other. With Taylor Krake as Allison, and Avery Baggs as Wendy, the two take the stage as the two arranged best friends as the audience learns about the character's ups and downs together, and what exactly happened in the good old days.

Krake’s performance as Allison was elegantly executed through her seamless character transitions, and ability to present vulnerability throughout the show. Her character struggles with the struggles of growing up, and her depiction of the internal struggle was gracefully done.

Baggs’s performance as Wendy was exemplary, she did an amazing job of being able to act out each emotion. Even when her character wasn’t speaking her facial expressions provided clarity into the thoughts and feelings of each character she portrayed.

The two were not only able to play the main characters but also performed as extras in the others' dreams. Their amazing ability to seamlessly switch characters was amazing. The work that went into each character provided the audience with clear clarity of what type of person was on stage.

This production was gorgeously executed by both Baggs and Krake’s talented acting, and exquisite ability to portray the characters' past chemistry, and present tension.

Late Night Laughs

Stiff Upper Lip was a comical stand-up show, although our show was late at night Tyson Bradley was still extremely energetic, hyping up the crowd. His energy was intense as soon as he walked onto the stage. It was a unique production containing an AI test, some music, and a test of London knowledge.

His ability to interact with the audience was amazing. He always made sure that his jokes worked for them, and when they didn’t he was able to adjust and come back stronger. His improvisation with the audience created a relationship between him and each participant. Bradley’s energy was magnetic. He had no issue keeping the audience captivated, especially when you couldn’t tell what was going to happen next.

His mixture of Canadian and UK jokes were a hit. He provided thorough jokes including the differences in language between the two. He did not make fun of either place, but provided funny jokes that poked fun at the quirks both places have.

This forty five minute show was a spectacle to see. Bradley’s well thought out jokes and ability to work with his audience made it a high-quality show. Bradley provided an enjoyable end to the night by supplying the audience with personal jokes, pop culture references, and a look at life in London.

Museums, Manors, and the Outdoors of Britain

Kiana Wu’s show WALRUS was a deep monologue about the explorations Wu experienced in Britain. Wu took the audience on a trip explaining the artwork and artifacts she saw when she explored the many places of history.

Her beautiful descriptions of each setting provided amazing imagery that made the audience feel like they were actually in the places. The way she would explain the sloped ceilings, textures, and artifacts from different countries created an amazing

Her perspective on the pieces told a magnificent story of the British people's history of stealing ideas from other people. I learnt a lot from her performance, and it gave me a new outlook on parts of history. Wu was very passionate in her performance, and I couldn’t look away.

Her blunt questions: “WTF?” “What is my legacy?” “How did we get here?,” really stuck with me throughout the performance. Wu did a beautiful presentation of meaningful subjects that I will not soon forget.

A Room I Never Wanted To Leave

In My Room is a comedic musical that follows a day in the life of Eli Yaschuk, who has been confined by choice to his bed for three weeks. He is accompanied by his personal assistant Rain Matkin, and first aid certified pianist, Elaine Dunbar, who are determined to convince Eli to leave his room. This incredible show included special theatrical elements such as a singing sock puppet, two dancing nuns, and a personalized scrapbook.

Matkin and Yaschuk provided original, quirky characters that were very easy to fall in love with. Their amazing chemistry throughout their acting and singing did not go unnoticed. They provided beautifully choreographed musical numbers, amazing scrapbooks, and hilarious jokes. Even when they weren’t talking or singing, the two were always putting on a show with their movements, and facial expressions. The musical stylings of Yaschuk and Matkin were accompanied by talented Dunbar. Dunbar not only played the piano skillfully, but also provided meaningful facial acting, although she did not have many lines you could always tell what her character was thinking, and how much passion she had for what she was doing.

The trio worked together to create an interactive theatre experience by breaking the fourth wall, and letting the audience be a part of the wonderful life of Eli. The audience was able to participate in the three week anniversary party, and understand just what Matkin gets to experience as Yaschuk’s personal assistant.

In My Room was a surprisingly sentimental show that provided the audience with lots of laughs. If you love musicals, comedy, and close acting dynamics this is the show for you. The three did an astounding performance, their campy show is one of the best performances I have seen at the Fringe.

The production of Fakespeare is a classic retelling of Shakespeare’s best tales. The play was chosen by members of the audience while Patrick Hercamp took the stage as Master William Shakespeare, acting out the scenes with help from the audience. His stunning performance of Macbeth was a one to remember. Hercamp’s amazing energy on and off the stage hyped the audience and made them ecstatic with each scene.

His rendition of “the scottish play” was a funny yet witty retelling. His actions spoke louder than words as he described the characters in his own way. Each character had its own voice and actions to represent their uniqueness. He kept the audience on their toes by adding his own uniqueness to the tale. Although he told the classic story of Macbeth, the show had its own improvised charm.

Hercamp states that his favorite part of doing this production is “showing the audience that Shakespeare can actually be fun. I like the audience participation and getting to connect with my audience and become friends with them over the course of the show because we are all on Macbeth or Hamlet's journey together and bringing it to life.”

His theatrical performance took the stage by storm. He created a funny, energetic environment for anyone in the theatre. His acting skills were captivating to the entire audience. Many people who have watched his performance have already spoken about going back for more and even watching different versions of his show. I for one would love to be able to see his version of Hamlet, because his rendition of Macbeth was award winningly brilliant.