What Have You Seen?

In my position as Community Manager for the Ottawa Fringe Festival I've been shooting/editing some short videos.

So, what have you seen?

BC Seen

Sneaking up on us (well, me at least) it seems that festival season has arrived in Ottawa. Or at least theatre festival season has arrived in Ottawa, with BC Scene, Magnetic North, and the Ottawa Fringe all either happening as we type (depending on when you’re reading this, I suppose) or are mere weeks away.

Having lived in Vancouver for two years, I was especially looking forward to BC Scene, since it meant my favourite theatre company was coming to town (and with a show I hadn’t seen), as well as a show I had really wanted to see while I was out there but missed. Add to that a bunch of bands and musicians I’m into, and for me, “excited” would have been an appropriate adjective.

The trick with festivals – especially when you have three back to (almost) back to back – is not to overindulge. Not only for your wallet, but for your sanity. I love going to shows as much as the next guy, but eventually I’m going to burn out and want to spend a night at home on the couch watching Chuck.

Someone smarter than me described festivals as buffets – while it’s great to have so much choice, you have to know when you’ve had enough. Also: you need to watch out, because they can be pricey (and unfulfilling if you load up on carbs). So after carefully deciding what I had the time and money to attend, I had my schedule, which included 5 of the 7 plays. Apparently, this desire not to see everything came as a surprise to a friend of mine when, during a casual conversation at Arts Court the other day, they asked: “so, when are you going to see the Mom show?”

(“The Mom show” for those of you unfamiliar is Moms the Word 2: Unhinged, which is described in the BC Scene program as “Exuberant, life-affirming fun… a riotous exposé of the highs and lows of life with a teenager!”)

“So, when are you going to see the Mom show?”

“Um, never.” I replied.

This was clearly unacceptable. “What do you mean?” my friend pestered. “You aren’t going to see everything?”

Let me set something straight: I love theatre. I love going to the theatre. But I don’t love all theatre. And I especially don’t love going to all theatre. So when a play comes along about five women dealing with the highs and lows of life with a teenager (which interests me zero percent) and I don’t feel obliged to see it because I have a friend in the cast or I said yes to the invite on Facebook and feel guilty or I’m sucking up because I want them to hire me, I’m going to take a pass and go see The Immaculate Machine instead.

So, no. I’m not going to see Moms the Word 2. This is not a judgment on the show or the artists or anyone who may enjoy the show (like Moms). It’s just not for me. And I think it’s time to recognize that not every play is for every person. I avoid films and books and albums and television shows that don’t suit my tastes, why should a play be any different?

Enough about what I’m not seeing. How about what I did see?

LA VUE D’EN HAUTE
I bet this show was 100% fantastic, because the approximately 35% I understood definitely was (next time: put ego aside and go to performance with surtitles). If asked to describe the show I would probably call it “bleak,” but I don’t think bleak quite captures it: it has been raining non-stop for three years. Mom’s feet are rotting. Everyone’s a drug addict. Oh, and there’s a baby made of garbage. Clearly, a piece commissioned by the Vancouver tourism board.

BIO BOXES
This was the piece I was most looking forward to, and it did not disappoint. Admittedly, I was nervous before entering my first box. I was going to be inches away from an actor. An actor who would be acting. What if they made eye contact? (they did) What if they asked me a question? (they would) Moments into the first performance, nervousness was forgotten. Being so close to the performer you can smell each other’s breath (and mints were provided – dare I say encouraged – in the lobby before the performance), the six actors invite you into their world to share a 7-minute experience. A piece of theatre that is equally intimate, theatrical, dirty, and beautiful.

PS – you can touch my knee and talk Cantonese to me anytime, Donna Soares.

ASSEMBLY
Maybe I should have gone to see the Mom show, because I probably would have learned something. Specifically, “if you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all.” Unfortunately, I’m not going to that show. Even more unfortunately I did go see this one. I don’t like being talked down to in real life, nor do I appreciate it when I go to the theatre.

What have you seen?

Hiatus.

Post-Fringe, I'm on a brief pause from this.

The Math (or, How I saw every Fringe show)

As I think has been very clearly demonstrated over the past couple of posts, not having a show in the Fringe is more work than having a show in the Fringe.

Some twelve or so days ago I set out to see every show in the festival. While it quickly became apparent that this wasn't going to happen, it also became apparent that I didn't have to attend every show to say I have seen it. In fact, when you look at the numbers, I saw every show in the festival:

• Total shows in 2008 Ottawa Fringe Festival: 52
• Total shows I attended: 33

So that leaves, what, nineteen shows? But if you add the following:

• Shows I had seen previously in other festivals: 4
  
• Shows in the "Youth" Fringe that only had Saturday morning performances (ie. when I was sleeping): 2
• Shows in French that I wouldn't have understood anyway: 1
• Shows that looked too scary: 1
  
• Plays I have seen too many times and didn't want to sit through again no matter how good the production was: 2
• Shows that, no matter what, I couldn't fit into my schedule because they always conflicted with something else: 3
  
• Shows based on movies I hated (and was therefore prejudiced against): 1
• Shows that had performances canceled at times I intended on going: 1
  
• Shows I had friends in and in lieu of going they told me all about it: 2
• Shows I had friends in and they asked me not to come: 1
• Shows I went to but fell asleep during: 1
  

SUCCESS! SUCK IT, TANIA!

Ahem.

And because of my photo taking prowess (and because no one else entered) I won the Photo Scavenger-Hunt! My prize? A VIP pass to the 2009 Ottawa Fringe.

Next year, I will definitely see every show. For sure.

The final tally:

A Grimm Tale
A Leave of Absinthe
American Squatter
Boat Load
Busty Rhymes with MC Hot Pink
Circumference
Crude Love
DIE ROTEN PUNKTE - Super Musikant
The Girl in the Picture Tries to Hang up the Phone - A Mother and Son story
Hey, Bartender!
Inferno Sonata
Jem Rolls: How I Stopped Worrying and Learned to Love the Mall
Joe: The Perfect Man
Liar's Club
Making Deals With Gods
Mr. Fox
Naked Famous People
Old Growth
Open for Business: The Peacock Cabaret
Raven for a Lark
Shadows in Bloom
She Rules with Iron Sticks
Singing at the Edge of the World
Teaching the Fringe
The Spy
The Triumph of Judith Shakespeare
This is a Play
Totem Figures
Trashcan Duet
Water
The Wedding Night
Without a Clue
Wooster Sauce

Fatigue (or, Why I am Falling Behind)

So clearly this "see every show" idea was never going to pan out. But I have to tell you, going to Fringe shows is tiring. Add the shitty weather we've been having on top of that and I have only seen four shows in the past two days. A slacker, am I.

But in better news, I won photo of the day for my picture of Tania's boobs (see below) and with it a $25 gift certificate to the Elgin Street Diner, which I promptly spent on poutine and milkshakes. "Paperless Marketing" has a whole new meaning, now.

The not so greatly improved tally:

A Grimm Tale
Boat Load
Circumference
Crude Love
DIE ROTEN PUNKTE - Super Musikant
Liar's Club
Making Deals With Gods
Naked Famous People
Old Growth
Singing at the Edge of the World
Teaching the Fringe
The Spy
The Triumph of Judith Shakespeare
Totem Figures
Trashcan Duet
Without a Clue
Wooster Sauce

Discipline. (or, Why I Wasn't in Bed Before 4:00 am All Weekend)

Fringing, whether as a performer or patron, requires discipline.

A performer's discipline (or lack thereof) has immediate consequences: you don't flyer lines, you don't have audiences; you slack on your media kits and calls, you don't get reviewed; you stay up all night drinking before your 2:00 pm matinee, your show the next day sucks (this last point, incidentally, is the basis on which the 12 Hour Rule was written).

But as an audience member, you must exhibit a completely different kind of discipline (of which I am quickly learning). A lack of Audience Discipline has no immediate consequences. If you skip out on that fourth show of the night - you know, the 11:00 pm show you'll "catch later in the week" so you can goad Kevin Waghorn into giving you free drinks - you will soon find yourself on the first Sunday of the festival and already realizing you're going to miss a show you really want to see because the only time you can see it is when it's up against something you have to see.*

As a performer, I have moderate discipline (instead of staying at the bar late, I just drink a lot very fast). But as an audience member, I have very little. And it's not the skipping shows that's bad (though it's a little bad). It's the beer. I am very bad at saying no to beer. Especially at 1:00 am with friends I haven't seen all winter. And especially when that beer is followed by poutine. No discipline.

But still: I am totally ahead of Tania. Her car broke down and she missed all her afternoon shows today (did I say "broke down" or "tampered with"?). Now we'll see if I have the discipline not to let this lead go to my head (or to not slip roofies in her vitamin water). The tally so far:

A Grimm Tale
Boat Load
Circumference
Crude Love
DIE ROTEN PUNKTE - Super Musikant
Making Deals With Gods
Naked Famous People
Old Growth
Singing at the Edge of the World
The Spy
The Triumph of Judith Shakespeare
Trashcan Duet
Without a Clue


* a true fact.

Overture, curtain, lights... (or, Trashcan at the Edge of the Old Growth)

This is a very strange year for me.

For the first time since 2002, I do not have a show in the Ottawa Fringe Festival (and its especially odd since I performed in six (6) Fringes last year).

No flyering. No tech rehearsals. No media kits. No last minute line runs. No flyering. No when-will-the-review-be-published angst. No postering. No constantly checking the advance ticket sales. No flyering.

What am I supposed to do with myself? I asked (myself).

The answer - as they always are - was simple: see shows.

Now originally, I was going to try and see everything. Seriously. I was going to see every show at the two thousand and eight Ottawa Fringe Festival including those in the Bring Your Own Venues as well as any outdoor shows that may be taking place and possibly something random happening in any other location that could be considered part of the Fringe.

Clearly, this was a bad idea.

Instead, in the spirit of I'm going to crush her like she has never been crushed before rivalry, Tania Levy and I are having a Fringe Off (I just named it that now). The challenge: who can see the most Fringe shows. The prize: bragging rights. Why I'm doing it: because I'm a lonely, lonely, man.

Currently we are tied at 3, since we went to three shows together last night. But I predict that soon she will be kicking my ass, since by Sunday I'll probably be more interested in getting high and listening to Keir Cutler read everyone his mail than seeing plays.

But, since I'm full of pre-Fringe optimism, so far I have seen:

Old Growth
Singing at the Edge of the World
Trashcan Duet

Hm. I have seen three plays but only drank two beers. My ratio's off.

Four more tonight.