KUNG-FU FIGHTING

Morning everybody!
So its been a week of Fringe madness.
What do we make of it all?
Well so far I am very happy, there are some great shows, great revelations and a few great misses.

My Recap:
The Event: Well it's crazy, but the dedicated and hardworking team of Fringe Volunteers is making it happen really well. Sure there are hiccups and such, but overall its a great job done!
congrats Fringers!

The Shows:
Overall impressed. You know how it is, some years are good, some years are bad. 2009 didn't blow my mind, but it was one of the better years so far. (and from talking to fellow fringers, they are pretty happy too!)

So far what we saw:

Quarter Life Calamity
5 buddies get together to talk life in their 20s. Humour is penis, sex, vag, gay based mostly and not terribly funny or original. Plus boo hoo, who wants to hear 20 year olds kvetch? I don't.
A Miss

Red Machine Part One
Very ambitious. Something was lost in translation. A very committed cast and crew give it their all but just cannot overcome the mess of a script. Having 3 writers in this case made the story murkier and completely unsurmountable. Supposedly something to do with the different parts of the brain (or something).
A Miss

My Mother's Lesbian Jewish Wiccan Wedding
A musical, but a good one. Folksy and very family friendly comedy based on a true story. The songs are catchy, sometimes sassy and you can feel the love all around. The "feel good" hit of the Fringe.
See it!

Peeler
First time playwright Kiran Friesen impresses against all odds. A very sexy and surprisingly touching story of a stripper's last night at the club. We have all seen Hollywood's treatment of the stripper, Peeler gets it just about right.
See it!

Moving Along
A mile a minute, frenzied comedic re-telling of a young man's turbulent life. At times funny however one man show wonder Chris Craddock has been and can do much better.
See it! (barely though)

Saucy Wenches in Trenches
A cabaret style ditty featuring 2 polar opposite stage performers belting out show tunes hooked together with a super thin plotline. The talent and singing is wonderful and fun, but asking myself why the Fringe?
Miss

Zdenka Now!
The disapointment this year (for me anyways). Precious Chong has a lot of talent and is very charismatic, however this show, a loosely linked series of sketches featuring various "based on reality" characters just isn't funny, or sad or anything really.
Miss

Dirty Girls
Kat Sandler's comedy about a germophobe king is funny (and dirty). Sandler is a comedic revelation and the entire cast is very talented and zany. Fluffy but fun. You wouldn't see this show outside the Fringe!
See it!


There you have it!