Winnipeg Fringe

Coriolanus -- Venue #13 (Winnipeg Fringe)

William Shakespeare's war-driven tragedy, Coriolanus, is not for the faint of heart. The story of a warrior who is given rule of Rome, but then reluctant to take on the artifice of ruling, Mad Cow productions bring us a brisk version of the lesser known play. It is staged making good use of the long alley in the space leading up to the stage, creating a sense of depth. 

The performances in the cast have a wide range; from the deft verbal swordplay of the more experienced performers, to the murky and unclear delivery from some of the cast's younger members, there are certainly moments where the plot is lost. This is unfortunate, as again, it isn't a terribly well known story, and the physical interpretation of the scenes (save for a few) is quite static, so it won't help audience members along. 

It isn't an easy task to climb this mountain, and overall the production does an admirable job in bringing it to life. 

The Bar Scene -- Venue #12 (Winnipeg Fringe)

It is always weird to experience a play that isn't the play you are working on, but is by the same playwright. There is this thing that happens in your brain, if you are doing your job as a director properly, where you can anticipate how the characters want to behave toward one another. What they want to do to one another. So, freshly off directing Hannah Foulger's newer play, Clink, watching The Bar Scene was an unusual experience.

The four young performers do a capable job bringing to life the staff of a pub; although on the surface they may appear to be archetypes, as the play progresses we do learn that these characters want something more, and are deeper than their archetype may have implied. Similar to Foulger's other piece, this play centres around relationships, and that murky neighbourhood of attraction between close friends. How does one know when to approach? What if the friendship is at risk? Using a clever device of playing out scenes, eventually the truth of the characters' feelings come out.

There are moments of delightful comic timing from the four performers, however there are also moments of clunkiness where it is clear the actors are not clear on what they are actually trying to do to other characters. Nonetheless it is an enjoyable 60 minutes, with a healthy dose of laughs and a sweet ending.

How Often Do I Dream? -- Venue #7 (Winnipeg Fringe)

The word "show" doesn't adequately fit what Halifax performer Katie Dorian offers with her one-woman How Often Do I Dream? -- rather "experience" would be much more appropriate. A calm and welcoming presence, Dorian greets each guest at the door, inviting them to explore the installation of objects on the stage before sitting. What follows is a thoughtful and thought-provoking exploration of memory and our ability to control what we do and do not remember. It weaves moments of story and character with moments of Dorian simply talking to the audience, showing us our own vulnerability through her own.

It is truly a magical experience, and for those seeking something a little different this Fringe, not one to miss. My only qualm is that I'd have loved to be unsettled even more as an audience member, with her blurring the line between natural Katie and acting Katie, so we don't know where one ends and the other begins.


Beau & Aero - Venue #3 (Winnipeg Fringe)

I caught a preliminary glimpse of these two talented comedians during a Fringe preview fundraiser, and new in a moment that I would love their work. Their full length show did not disappoint, with the pair making use of their ample physical comedy skills and playful nature to craft two charming and delightful clown characters, using a blend of mime and dance, and even circus-style tricks throughout their 55 minutes.

The best scenes were those where they played with non-verbal but still sound-based communication, in particular a bit where balloons become musical instruments. You can just imagine the kids in the audience (Ok and me too...) going home to try these for themselves.

If you have kids on your fringe docket, please please take them to this show -- it is rare to find a show that delights children and adults alike. These are two performers who will captivate your hearts and minds.

The below clip isn't their show here, but gives a little sense of what fun is in store.


Teddy Bears & Tidal Waves - Venue #5 (Winnipeg Fringe)

From the first moment, it is clear that writer/performer Leah Borchert is here to subvert your expectations. She proudly announces she's going to sing a dancing song to get everyone pumped up, then sits with her guitar and sings an awkward song about loneliness. This is just one of the many inventive ways Borchert weaves through the story of a young girl grappling with her own sense of self and the times it is at odds with expectations.

A well-shaped one woman piece, Borchert uses items found in children's play rooms to create theatre, using the props both literally and metaphorically to craft a space of exploration. Within this space she tests our expectations and assumptions for how the character, Genvieve, ought to behave in the world. This is beautifully paralleled with a discussion of the tides and the ocean -- water which also doesn't behave in the way we think it should.

This isn't the show for everyone, but it should be.

Chess - Venue #1 (Winnipeg Fringe)

One of the biggest hurdles for a fringe show is the source material; with so many shows being new writing, it truly is a test ground of what works and how audiences receive work. The odd time when a company does an established play, it generally will fare a bit better, because the source material is stronger.

Unfortunately that is not the case with Chess, the local re-mount of the Broadway & West End flop from the 80s. The music is dated, the plot slow and indecipherable, and no amount of good singing is going to change that. This is unfortunate, as the cast (Particularly the leads including a standout Bianca Orvis and Josh Bellan) have skills. A well-deserved shout-out to Steve Yurkiw who milks as much comedy as possible from the evil TV executive, too. This play is not the showcase for these folks.

On top of the dry source material, the direction is slow with lengthy scene changes, and there did feel to be at least one unnecessary dance number.

Had durational theatre been a thing in the 80s musical theatre world, we might have a different sense of these things as the pace of the show reflects a chess match. However, Forced Entertainment this is not.

How (I think) I've turned a rom-com into a pseudo concept piece

So, as you know, comedies are not usually my thing. So when presented with the opportunity to direct the lovely Clink, a new romantic comedy about youth and expectations, I looked for ways to innovate the means of telling the story. The play centres around 3 scenes in a public place -- the couple's wedding rehearsal and rehearsal dinner, as well as the ceremony. The play has the typical lines interacting with other people in this public space, but lacks the characters to populate it. This sort of trope often gets under my skin, so I thought about how best to overcome that hurdle.

Bingo! If we stage this in a somewhat immersive fashion, using a thrust theatre space to create intimacy, and actually engaging the audience as the side characters in this family, we have a unique opportunity to create an audience experience unlike that which they'll get in a typical proscenium staging, therefore increasing their connection to these younger characters whom some older audience members may not identify with.

Thus the idea to stage Clink in thrust was born.

Now, when most people see and or stage a piece in thrust (at least in Winnipeg) they use the typical proscenium means of actor positioning, and then either just shove the actors really far upstage, or render the side sections "cheap seats". I don't ever feel these are the solution, so rather played with an almost cinematic style of staging, where each audience position will see a face in a given time, but it may not be the face of the actor speaking. It could be the actor who is being spoken to, or spoken about. What results is that depending on where you sit, you may sympathize with a different character in the story, and it may change somewhat for you versus a friend who sat on the opposite side.

Does it work? I think so, based on some audience feedback -- those who were willing to suspend expectation. Curiously the staging asks the audience to do what the characters are asking their families to do -- release expectation and accept them on their own terms, for what may be a bit non-traditional.

Come see for yourself how my little experiment has worked. I assure you the 4 young actors are worth the show, even if you find the experiment failed.

Detailed show times available here, including tonight at 8:45.


2015 Winnipeg Fringe!

 
After a 3 year hiatus from any fringe related work outside reviewing, I've plunged head first into things this year, with 3 projects. There is quite literally something for each of you.
 
Clink -- A new play by Hannah Foulger(Venue 11) - showtimes available here:https://www.facebook.com/events/495770420572675/
- This is a fantastic 4-hander which I've directed, world premiere. A brand new play by an emerging playwright, featuring four emerging actors from the city. It takes place at a wedding, and we've staged it in a surprising way, where the audience get to be the guests at the wedding! Come ready for a party. Drinks not included, but a pre-show drink is heartily encouraged. You'll feel like one of the wedding party.


Sea Wall - by Simon Stephens
(Venue 27) - showtimes available here: https://www.facebook.com/events/1627940270776127/
- Theatre By the River's offering for the fest. This is the opposite end of the spectrum -- a play by recent Tony award winner Simon Stephens, one man show featuring Rodrigo Beilfuss before he heads off to a season with Stratford's Birmingham Conservatory. I've co-directed this piece. It is only 30 minutes. Beautifully written, a devastating piece of theatre.
 

popART: Project Vapour -- Sunday July 19 from 1-4pm
- Finally, this is an odd little project of mine, the first in a series of installations I am doing. I call it theatre, some may argue that point... Essentially it is an immersive installation project that lasts 3 hours. You can come and go. It features music from John Norman, and a physical video installation by Pixel Pusher, all curated by me. The goal is to re-create that feeling of disorientation you get when you go into a movie or theatre in the daytime, then emerge into the light again, but in this instance you immerse into a warehouse party in an alley in the exchange. The whole thing takes place in the alley beneath artspace on Arthur Street. Stay tuned, there is another one of these coming for Nuit Blanche too, just learned we're an official selection for the next in this series, popART: Intersection!
 
Anyway, hope you can make it to one (or all!) of my projects.

Audition Notice - CLINK by Hannah Foulger


Currently casting for one of my upcoming projects.....Check it out!
Casting Call HER PRODUCTIONS
CLINK

A New play by Hannah Foulger 

Directed by Kendra Jones

Running July 15-23 at the Winnipeg Fringe Festival

Rehearsals will run on evenings and weekends starting in May. Times and lengths to be determined based on cast/crew availability

AUDITIONS: February 20, 5:30 - 10:00 at the Asper Centre for Theatre and Film


One role:
RACHEL: 20s, Smart, successful bride determined not to become a Bridezilla.


If interested please send your resume and headshot to herproductions2015@gmail.com 

 Profitshare to be determined. 

Who's a Coward?


Darlings, it is the end of January, and therefore time to celebrate a playwright! Royal MTC's Master Playwright Festival honours British playwright Noël Coward this year, which means we're in for some fun. Contrary to many of the previous playwrights, Coward's work is characteristically comedic -- he writes silly people existing in a frivolous time, focusing primarily on the English upper classes in the earlier parts of the 20th century. Gin, champagne, music, parties, fabulous clothes -- what could be better! Yet it is all under-pinned with a sense that there are more serious matters hiding beneath the decadence. Less hearty than American contemporary F. Scott Fitzgerald's scathing account, Coward's characters inhabit a world of fun and games, where the seriousness of their predicament and the impact of their choices is left for another day's discussion.

As usual, several local companies are stepping up with productions: Royal MTC present Private Lives, directed by Krista Jackson who has become a staple in the MTC Master Playwright camp for the past few years. Echo Theatre go site-specific, with Coward's ghost-addled Blithe Spirit presented at Ralph Connor House, which is bound to be a fantastic time. There are also some indie shows, including Noël Collaborates, a new work based on Coward's correspondence with long-time friend Esme Wynn, and book-ending the first play either wrote called Ida Collaborates.

My own contribution to the festival is of a slightly different tone. For me, Coward is about marvellous parties and adventure, so my creative partner and I have put together a one-night event called Tonight At Eight, which is essentially a Coward party you can come and enjoy, rather than watch from the opposite side of the proscenium! There are adventures to be had, all in good fun. Our show is at the RAW gallery on McDermot, February 7 only.

For more info on Tonight At Eight, visit our Facebook Event.

And check out the festival's website for a complete listing.




Cock by Mike Bartlett - Theatre By The River

At only 34, Mike Bartlett's writing has been produced by some of the top theatres in London on top of seeing productions around the world, after emerging from The Old Vic New Voices programme in 2005. Cock premiered in 2009 at The Royal Court, a theatre famous for "breaking" new playwrights (you know, like Caryl Churchill, Tim Crouch, & more). The story is one of a man at odds with his feelings; John is in a relationship on the rocks, and has an affair with another partner. His first partner is a man, the second, a woman. But what matter?

Bartlett's play challenges us through John's seeming indecision; why must a decision be made about WHO to love based on some ideal? Why do we feel this necessity to pigeon-hole people into descriptive boxes? Truly, why does it matter who we love? Bartlett won the coveted Olivier award for this intellectually stimulating yet visceral play.

Winnipeg's Theatre By The River, under the direction of Rodrigo Beilfuss, bring this beautifully written and challenging piece of theatre to Winnipeg audiences in only the second Canadian production (Toronto beat us by a few short months...).

This is a different kind of theatre. One that doesn't rely on sets or props, or anything - simply words and their power
. Challenge yourself. Prepare to think, and try something new.

Cock runs in rep with another of Mike Bartlett's plays, Bull (same cast, different plays, different nights) through October 4th at the Platform Gallery.

For tickets head over to Theatre By The River's website.




Little Red by Frances Koncan @ Winnipeg Fringe

My 10th and final fringe outing was this beautiful gothic adaptation of the Little Red Riding Hood story. The well-cast group of 5 actors brought these twisted and dark characters to life in the tiny Playhouse Studio amidst a slightly cluttered but nice to look at space. The story was put together almost as if a dream, in which a small image or single world will spin out a complete change to the space and intent of the characters. Each scene on its own was well thought through, however the larger-picture fell apart a bit. The piece seemed to lack an outside eye, one which could string together the beads of the widely varying scenes through an overall sense of arch and style.

In short, the piece felt under-directed. The actors, being skilled, made the scenes come to life, however the play was not served by the scattershot sense of transition between the scenes. Transitions that could have been seamless were clunky, and some that should have been sudden and jarring were unclear (not always shifted by all performers at the same time). Thus the effect was lost overall. Whereas the audience should have left in a reverie, I personally left without this clouded and murky, dark feeling.

This was a great play, and a good production. Unfortunately you could see the potential for it to be a great production, which for me is always disappointing.

Only Just. . . by Megan Andres @ Winnipeg Fringe

Only Just. . . begins with the feeling of a typical romantic comedy. We have the "it girl" who has just broken up with the classic "nice guy" after his sweet and romantic (if not a touch forward) gesture, surrounded by the typical "goofy best friend" and "sweet but perennially single" female best friend. Andres provides a twist from the start, however, by playing with time. We quickly learn that we have actually begun at the end, and the subsequent scenes either explain or provide context to what came before, as we piece together the facts of what has occurred with these four friends. The result is that these characters, who in the snapshot moment at the start may seem like stereotypes, actually flesh out into real, living, and 3-dimentional characters. None are quite as simple as they initially seem.

The audience are left feeling the helplessness inherent in any situation when a choice is made, and upon reflection, we wish we'd chosen differently. By travelling backward through time, Andres' characters remind us that even if we did have a time machine as it-girl Naya dreams, when we go back, the past will play out in the same way. We can't change it. Fate, inevitability, or whatever you want to blame it on, we're doomed to make poor choices when it comes to handling other people's (and our own) feelings.

The performances were equally strong in this cast of four. In some moments the direction and staging did not serve the pace of the play suitably; for example some phone calls began in dark as the character came across into the space. A couple adjustments to the staging would have ultimately helped the piece hurl forward, and amplify the feeling of helplessness to ever fully fix the situation.

The Fringe is Upon us!

It is that week of the year when the Exchange District in Winnipeg becomes overwhelmed with excitable theatre-goers, looking for the "best" show, some curry, and a beer. For me, the BEST show is one that gives you all three at once!

In honesty though, we can all get caught up in the reviews, the drama (offstage) and the politics (back stage) so lets' try not to this year, by following my simple steps.

Performers - Be honest and truthful to the show and performance you have worked on. Remember that only very rarely are we in a "hit", and that one person's opinion is just that - one person's opinion. Share your work earnestly because really that communion between audience and performer is all we've got. Don't be upset by a poor review, and don't fly high from a good review. Remember that 3 stars is actually a pretty good review! It is not the disaster it may initially feel like. Just keep performing your show. Truthfully. And to quote Genet, "if it is done well, they won't be bored".

Audiences - Stay true to your tastes. See shows that seem interesting to you based on their write up in the program, poster, etc. Don't get caught up in the "hit" show - I've seen many things reviewers have touted as 5-star and been disappointed. At the same time I've seen loads of things that were "average" or worse, and been transported by fantastic writing, performances, and overall production. If you see something you like, share that with someone. If you see something you don't like, try to assess the piece on its own terms, not based on your tastes. We're a communal art, after all, so the most important thing to do is share your thoughts.

For any who usually follow my reviews, this year I'll be part of the CBC Review Crew - so the vast majority of my thoughts will be available here: http://www.cbc.ca/manitoba/features/fringe/

Happy fringe-ing (and curry-eating!)

PS - remember that loads of "fringe" shows happen outside the festival and throughout the rest of the year, so plan to FRINGE ON ;)

16,000 views. . . and upcoming adventures

How exciting to see that 16,000 people have viewed (lurked) this page. Someone other than me knows it exists, even if by accident!

I suppose some folks have taken notice, anyway, because I've had some great developments recently.

First, I was horribly busy over the winter, and didn't share the link to my very first published academic piece by Brunel University's Body, Space, Technology Journal! The piece was an artistic statement about my play Dear Mama performed at Sondheimfest in early 2013. You can navigate to the Journal's page here: http://people.brunel.ac.uk/bst/vol1201/kendrajones/home.html

Second, I have recently joined Theatre By The River (http://www.theatrebytheriver.com) as a member of the Artistic Company. My first adventure for the company was to host a panel discussion about their upcoming production of Mike Bartlett's Cock and Bull, being performed in Repertory this fall. We've got loads more in the works, so stay tuned for info about a project in the late fall and things into 2015.

Third (and final for now), I'm very pleased to be joining the review crew for CBC Manitoba's coverage of the Winnipeg Fringe Festival! I'm definitely looking forward to sparking conversations and debate about the shows in this year's fest from a more formal point of view. That does mean, however, that the majority of my reviewing will be found over at the CBC site rather than here. Keep an eye out, I'll link to them, too.

Til Death: Six Wives of Henry VIII - Monster Theatre @ Winnipeg Fringe

Tara Travis is outstanding in this one-woman show written by Ryan Gladstone, embodying 6 wives of Henry VIII along with the king himself with unwavering detail and clarity. The script cleverly posits an afterlife in which all six wivevs and eventually Henry are held together in a purgatory, in which St Peter will allow only one wife in to Royal Heaven - purportedly better than "regular" Heaven. As the women jostle for position, their stories and perspective toward Henry (and their own life's potential) is seen, creating a larger picture sense of the opportunity for women of that time. 

There was still something a bit lacking from the script; it centres heavily on beauty and sex, the ability to make the king happy, which seems to detract from its supposed feminist message. 

Notwithstanding, it is well worth seeing. 

Dog Act - Nancan Productions @ MTC Mainstage Venue #1

Local company Nancan Productions brings us this clever script from American writer Liz Duffy Adams with a stellar cast of Winnipeg performers. Situated in a future-past time where tribes war and cities are destroyed, yet vaudevillians roam performing their old standards. The world of the play is truly imaginative, and the cast bring it to life briliantly. Notable is the tribe thugs' near-iambic pentameter, peppered with expletives.

Yet despite excellent performances and a great script, I found my mind wandering; the piece could have done with some tightening, and more nuances in the shape of the action pertaining to pace in particular. As well, there were occasions when the rich language was lost to rushing, as if the actors themselves were aware of this.

These things aside, it remains a strong production and one I recommend seeing.

Mixtape - Theatre 3 @ Winnipeg Fringe Venue #9

Mixtape is a series of  stories told through clown and physical work, ranging from silly stories of watering a plan, to clownish circus acts. R.G. Chesterson is captivating with his highly detailed and specific physical work; his smallest movement evoking emotion from the audience. He plays on the audience through clever participation activity, and truly engages. Some highly enjoyable de-familiarization of objects occurs, including dancing robot heads for some clever puppetry.

Unfortunately his partner is not as deft a physical performer, and lacks the polish that Chesterson offers. The result is that her solo scenes drag somewhat, and diffuse the energy of the performance.

Overall this is an enjoyable piece. Personally, I would love to see Chesterson either working on his own, or perhaps with a different partner.