Winnipeg Fringe 2024
One of my favourite things about summers in Winnipeg is the annual Fringe Festival. I love the theatre and the huge variety of independent productions that come through the city each year, so when I was offered a handful of media passes to check out show in exchange for reviews here on the blog, you know I jumped at the opportunity.
In true "Shaner summer" style, I'm barely in town this week and am only able to attend a few actual days of the nine-day long festival, so on Thursday evening I launched into an intense few days of plays, writing, and hanging out in the beer garden.
What follows are the plays I've seen, my thoughts, and recommendations intended to help you make the most out of your Winnipeg Fringe 2024 experience:
Let's dive right in:
Bloodsuckers! The Musical
This play was an intersection of several things I love: the Dracula story, campiness, and musical theatre.
I almost feel like I should end the review there because it kinda tells you all you need to know, but let's dig in a bit deeper: the plot centres around a group of greedy American developers from the Zenith Entertainment Company who travel to Romania to open "Dracula Land" and negotiate the purchase of the land with a Transylvania landholder named Vlad.
(Spoiler alert: he's a vampire!)
This play was cheesy, funny, and incredibly over-the-top in the best way possible. If you're a fan of the Dracula story and want to experience a silly, unique take on the series, then don't miss this one.
(As an aside, I found out today that that this play is an "all dentist musical" and stars the original cast from 2023?! Go off, dentists!)
The Get Laid* Show
We wound up at this show because the performer, V, came up to us as we were sussing out posters outside of The King's Head and told me that she "liked how I pointed at stuff with my feet" which is honestly the best way to find out about a Fringe show.
This one-woman show is, as the name implies, all about helping audience members either get laid (not at the show, obviously), wind up on a date with someone in the crowd, or at least take a quirky, hilarious romp through topics like honesty and sexuality when it comes to sex and dating and get a high five out of it in the end.
This performance is very audience-centric, with V often stating "this show is about YOU" and asking questions of the crowd in order to explore our relationships with sex, vulnerability, and each other. It's hilarious and weird, but also extremely charming and very moving. I teared up at the end and was extremely impressed with the way V wrapped things up. Definitely a must-see!
Burns and Allen: Comedy Duo
This play is, as the name implies, a loving tribute to vaudeville legends George Burns and Gracie Allen as written and performed by Winnipeg's own iconic improv actors Caity Curtis (who wrote it) and her partner Stephen Sim.
Though a similar version of this tribute ran at Fringe a few years back, this year's performance features updated scenes and new takes on classics from the original performance. I loved Stephen's monologues as George Burns, and Caity's delivery as Gracie Allen was absolutely spot-on both in terms of comedic timing, as well as her delivery of Gracie's "illogic logic".
The performance takes us through George and Gracie's history as as performers, their relationship as a married couple, and their transition from vaudeville, to radio, to their iconic TV show which ran for almost 300 episodes and heavily featured shout-outs to show sponsor Carnation Evaporated Milk.
With improv, classic scenes like a hilarious adaptation of Abbot and Costello's "Who's on First" (featuring hockey references for us Canucks) and a little bit of audience participation, this performance is one of the best Fringe shows I've ever seen, full stop.
Moms! Moms! Moms!
Moms Moms Moms is a whirlwind tour through motherhood's ups and downs and twists and turns, as told through stories, comedy, burlesque, and even a little crowd participation talent show, over a very tall and much-deserved glass of wine.
Comedians DD Brassiere (Tits Up) and Your Mom Kathy (Chubrub) are spot on and taking no shit as they "shine a light on the complexities and contradictions of motherhood", and to use the term of the summer, are fully embracing their brat era as badass moms.
Celebrate mothers getting loud and reclaiming the attention and joy they deserve at the Prairie Theatre Exchange's Colin Jackson Studio Theatre (Venue 17) and catch a heartfelt show you don't want to miss.
40 Below
This play was a recommendation from our friend Sara who works at The Yellow Dog (shout out to YD!) and I’m so glad we took her up on her reco!
The play centres around two Winnipeg Transit drivers on the #16 bus on New Year’s Eve and a revolving cast of characters who get on and off the bus as midnight approaches.
The play was a moving and poignant exploration of regret and forgiveness, and was phenomenally well-acted, especially by the actor who portrayed Murdock, an older transit driver approaching retirement who just got back on the job after having surgery.
I’ve been taking Winnipeg Transit my whole life so this play really hit home. I’m really glad we caught it and can’t recommend it enough.
The D&D Improv Show
The D&D show is a “must-see” for me every year, and not just because I know a handful of the performers (shout out to Jeremy whose performance as The Inspector totally stole the show!)
This show is exactly what it sounds like: every night is another chapter in the campaign, so no two shows are alike. It’s weird, hilarious, and quirky and you’re guaranteed to laugh until your face hurts.
Don't play D&D? Don't worry about it! The show explains how the game works at the start of every show, and the way it's played is like a stripped-down version of the game itself so it's easy to follow along. There's always a Dungeon Master (DM) who narrates what's going on, moves characters around a map that's projected on the back of the stage, and explains what's happening at the outset of each scene so the improv actors know what to do.
There's a reason why this show is one of the most popular shows at each year's Fringe, so if you're able to make it out to a show before the season ends, make sure you do.
(Just make sure to book your tickets in advance since the shows almost always sell out!)
Porn & Pinochet
“Porn & Pinochet” is a one-man show written and performed by Andy Cañete, and is a hilarious and bittersweet exploration of growing up between cultures.
Born in Chile, Cañete moved to Canada with his family as a child and then back to dictator Pinochet's Chile again at the age of 13. Even if you're not from an immigrant family, Cañete's stories about family dynamics, growing up and feeling like the cool (or uncool) kid in class, losing your virginity, are all delivered in ways that arte deeply relatable — even if you did have access to porn growing up.
The play explores cultural differences, complicated family dynamics, soccer (football), all with wit and humility and an ending that made me tear up at the end. Definitely check it out if you can!
Neurohilarity: Exposed
“Neurohilarity: Exposed” is a collection of local comedians sharing gritty and hilarious stories exploring their neurodiverse experiences.
Hosted by our friend Carole Cunningham, the show also features comedians Danielle Kayahara, Scott Koropas, Adam Schwartz, Rollin Penner and Kaitlynn Brightnose (who I’ve seen before and is side-splitting funny).
The performers shared embarrassing, vulnerable, and hilarious stories about being neurodivergent, all the while dealing with a near-constant interruption by an alarm going off in the parkade across the street (shout out to sexy firefighters!)
Even if you don’t have a neurodivergent diagnosis, you’ll definitely get something out of this show, so don’t miss it!
Doctor Caligari's Cabaret Around the Sun
I’ve often described this show as a “Fringe performance for Fringe performers”.
It’s always at the same time (midnight) towards the end of Fringe, and is a series of skits and short performances… and that’s all I’m going to say about it.
It’s another “must see” for me every year because you never know what to expect, and I can guarantee that you’ll laugh your face off (I know I did).
But really, you just had to be there.
A big thanks to the Winnipeg Fringe Festival for the opportunity to review some plays and get the most out of the Fringe experience this year!
