Fringe Begins

It's Labour Day, which means two things: a return to school; and the imminent start of the Vancouver International Fringe Festival. The two are not always conducive to mutual enjoyment. Last year, being on leave, I could attend a decent number of Fringe shows. This year, class preps and related administration will likely mean I have to be more chary with my time. But I do plan to get out there and see at least a few shows.

Here's what's caught my eye so far:

Parczew 45 (Chai Productions) at Studio 16

Underbelly, by Jayson McDonald (of last year's most excellent Giant Invisible Robot fame), at the Waterfront

Loon, from the Wonderheads (the folks responsible for Grim & Fisher, last year's breakout Fringe hit, which is returning to the Cultch in January), at the Waterfront

Utopia (Theatre Free Radical) at Studio 1398

The Troubles (Resounding Scream Theatre) at Studio 1398

Recess, by Una Aya Osato, at the False Creek Gym

Home Free, Staircase Xi Theatre's mounting of a short play by the great Lanford Wilson, at the Carousel Theatre

Three More Sleepless Nights, a site-specific take on another short play by the equally great Caryl Churchill (I saw a version of this last December, and it was fantastic--highly recommended)

Slumming, by former student Barbara Ellison, at the Cultch

slut (r)evolution, by Cameryn Moore, of Phone Whore fame, at Performance Works

By the way, Cameryn, together with Gigi Naglak (Chlamydia dell'Arte: A Sex-Ed Burlesque), Celene Harder and Val Duncan (Does This Turn You On?), and Deb Pickman (Shameless Hussy Productions), will be part of a panel on "Sexuality in Theatre" that I will be moderating on Monday, September 10th as part of the line-up of sidebar events the Fringe folks have programmed at the St. Ambroise Fringe Bar (1363 Railspur Alley on Granville Island). The proceedings begin at 7 pm.

And of course all of this is preceded by the Opening Night gala and auction tomorrow at 7 pm at Performance Works.

Get your tickets for all events here.

P.