Words of Wisdom

Greatly moved by Stephen Fry's Open Letter to the Olympic committee recently published, I took his memoir, Moab Is My Washpot, and bumped it to the front of my reading list. I found something inside. It's not much, but it seemed relevant to me:

[I]f you're going to be a freak, be a complete freak, no point at all in goint at it half-cock

Now, there are those that will say, in this modern technologically sophisticated age, that no one is willing to accept any wisdom unless it comes superimposed onto a catching image, or photo of a cat. They're probably right.

Show and Tell Alexander Bell

I love the idea of integrating technology with performance art. The trouble comes when it happens in a superficial way and the audience leaves with a quaint feeling saying things like "that's clever" or "that's cute" like a six year old who has just repurposed a piece of kitchenware as a space helmet. Show and Tell Alexander Bell is not that.

Part of the 2013 Summerworks festival, it's a stunning example of... of... I have no idea how to complete that sentence because I've never seen anything quite like it. The title doesn't tell you nearly enough. There is dance - lots of it. Also some singing, not very much. Comedy, certainly. And plentiful and interesting visual elements which seem to counterpoint the surrealism of the underlying metaphor. (I've always wanted to work that into a sentence!) And there's even a magic trick or three in there for good measure.

It certainly shows us that there's is a wide open road ahead for integrating technology and art.

If you are in Toronto over the next week, go.

Two things which are important to remember:

1. Remember to bring your cell phone.
2. You'll never look at phone sex the same way again.

Show & Tell Alexander Bell

@ The Summerworks Performance Festival

by Ars Mechanica Theatre

Select performances August 8 - 18 at the Lower Ossington Theatre

Tickets $15

You can see more the of the 2013 Summerworks Program here.

Plotting and Scheming

We're working on a very special event for Saturday, November 9 so save the date.

Or not.

It's your life.*

More information coming soon.

*That's a bit of a hint.

Last bit of Prezels

One last piece of magic for Wendy's #ExpectToBeAmazed campaign.

I'm actually facing a second camera which is supposed to have an extreme close up of my hands so you can actually see the coins. Not sure what happened to that footage. Oh well.

And remember, actually visit the Wendy's Canada Facebook Page to enter to win a trip for two to Las Vegas.

Fringe Follow Up

Speaking of Friends from the Fringe, this Friday (apologies for an altogether artless alliteration) Victoria Murdoch is celebrating her birthday this Friday night and the world is invited. She caught everyone's attention in Hamilton as she promoted her show making all of her appearances in costume as Dawn, the 50s housewife with a naughty secret... or twelve.

Victoria is a modern renaissance woman - actress, comedienne, playwright, gluten & dairy free chef extraordinaire (try the chocolate mousse, I dare you). In celebration of her birthday, there will be a Cabaret Birthday Bash at the Winchester. Dinner & mingling starts at about 8pm with a stage show starting at about 10. If you're available to drop in, it's a PWYC event.

I'll be performing later on along with some other very talented and funny people.

Fringe Friends

I spent a good chunk of last weekend in Hamilton at the Hamilton Fringe Festival. Having participated in the Hamilton Fringe last year, I was hoping to bump into old friends... and I did! One of the productions that made a hit last year was Harold Pinter's Betrayal. It's a wonderful story which was so appealing to me because it took place backwards in time (Like a love story version of Memento, written thirty years earlier.) It was also a very large ensemble that went all out in terms of set and lighting design (compared with some productions, like mine, which consist of only a performer, a stage manager and a technician.) It was also one of the festival's longer productions at ninety minutes.

This year, the same company took another shot at an even larger production: Death and a Maiden. This a seriously dark and chilling play, definitely not intended for children. I loved it and the almost-two-hours flew by. While the Hamilton Fringe is over, Death and a Maiden is appearing this weekend in Toronto at the "One More Night Festival" at The Box Friday and Sunday night. If you have the chance, go check them out:

Death and the Maiden Friday, August 2 @ 9:00 PM Sunday, August 4 @ 7:00 PM Tickets $10 - limited seating

My only regret is that because of the late shows, I missed the official Fringe Talk-Show at the Baltimore House and the presentation of the coveted Larry Awards. Oh well... there's always next year.