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Sunday, July 8, 2012

Review: Sundance 2


Sundance (Two Wolves Theatre) 2012 Toronto Fringe Review
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Sundance (Two Wolves Theatre) directed by Eli Jenkins and Ana-Marija Stojic – written by veteran playwright M.Z. Ribalow – is a philosophical western, featured in Toronto Fringe 2012.
The highlight of this show is the opening.
Scruffy, blood-crazy Jesse (Geoff Kolomayz) and self-righteous killer Hickok (Carmine Lucarelli) sit at that typical western locale, the bar. You know the one, low swinging doors, dusty glasses, and quick-talking barkeep (Alexis Budd).
Hickok cools off with a buzzing, battery-powered fan.
Hickok’s humour is the most potent, and it derives from the same theme as the anachronistic fan.
Hickok is more modern than your average cowboy. He is prone to philosophy, metaphors, and poetic monologues. Neither of which his bar-mate, Jesse, can understand. It is this out-of-place humour that makes the western play Sundance so funny.
The formula of the script is quickly introduced. Jesse, Hickok and The Kid (Jenn Dzialoszynski) are killers. Their varying reasons for killing are in turn explored.
Enter the “ultimate killer” – a monosyllabic character who gives no motive for his urge to gun down fellow characters.
The acting is solid. Of note are Hickok who delivers straight-faced comedy, and Jesse, who embodies his scruffy, crotch-scratching role whole-heartedly.
The dialogue is witty, and written by a professional who knows his trade – even if the plot is a bit stiff.  Sundance appears to be written more as a theoretical, “Which western archetype would win in a fight” – than a showcase of three dimensional characters.
The costumes are beautifully broken-down and battered. Jesse’s duster and once-white shirt especially look like they’ve been run over a few times with a cement mixer. In Jesse’s case, this makes his clothes appear appropriately lived-in.
Note that the pistols used in Sundance have more punch than the average cap-gun. They are loud. You have been warned.
Sundance is 40 minutes of well-acted comedy. Although the structure of the plot is predictable, the lines themselves are funny. The show I saw was a full house. This is one of the Fringe shows not to miss. Especially if you are a fan of westerns, a fan of making fun of westerns, or simply want a few laughs.
Come see Sundance at the Tarragon Extra Space with your sixguns blazing.
Details
  • Sundance plays at Tarragon Theatre Extra Space (30 Bridgman Avenue)
  • Showtimes are: Thurs, July 5, 11:00pm; Sat, July 7, 5:15pm; Mon, July 9, 2:45pm; Tues, July 10, 8:45pm; Wed, July 11, 4:00pm; Thurs, July 12, 7:00pm; Sat, July 14, 7:00pm
  • All individual Fringe tickets are $10 ($5 for FringeKids) at the door (cash only). Tickets are available online at www.fringetoronto.com, by phone at 416-966-1062, in person at The Randolph Centre for the Arts, 736 Bathurst Street (Advance tickets are $11 – $9+$2 service charge)
  • Value packs are available if you plan to see at least 5 shows
Photo by Garth Droog
This entry was posted on Sunday, July 8th, 2012 at 1:31 am and is filed under Fringe Festival, Toronto Fringe Reviews 2012, Toronto Theatre Reviews. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

Friday, July 6, 2012

Review: Sundance



Photo courtesy of Jesse Watts.


PERFORMANCES:
Saturday, July 7, 5:15 p.m.
Monday, July 9, 2:45 p.m.
Tuesday, July 10, 8:45 p.m.
Wednesday, July 11, 4:00 p.m.
Thursday, July 12, 7:00 p.m.
Saturday, July 14, 7:00 p.m.
VENUE:
Tarragon Theatre Extra Space (30 Bridgeman Avenue)
A hedonist and a moral absolutist walk into a saloon, and in doing so set the stage for M.Z. Ribalow’s quick-witted postmodernist Western satire. The hedonist is wild outlaw Jesse James, who kills for pleasure. The absolutist is Wild Bill Hickok, who kills to uphold honour and the law. Soon the pair are joined by an anarchistic Billy the Kid, and the trio trade theories on moral philosophy with the speed of expert gunslingers, or Greek philosophers with Texas twangs. Their war of ideas is cut short by the arrival of the mysterious Sundance, who seems to kill for no reason at all.
The banter in Sundance tends to be a little too quick, but the attentive viewer is bound to learn a thing or two about introductory philosophy in this wry twist on a classic genre. The performers embrace the briskly paced material with aplomb—particularly Geoff Kolomayz as the sleazy, drawling Jesse James, and Alexis Budd as a wheedling barkeep caught in the middle of this showdown of reason. Caution: very loud cap guns involved.
By Ryan West, The Torontoist, Toronto Fringe Festival Reviews, July 5, 2012.

Sundance, Fringe and Busyness

Okay let me see, the last time I posted was....yeah it has been that long.  I make no apologies, it is what it is.  Again I say I will try to be more consistent at this; however, I get so busy...


Speaking of which, what have I been up to, well after Tiny Piece of Land there was few weeks off, then the Fringe stuff started happening.  Two shows, I have two shows in Fringe.  Mirador is performing Lion, Witch and Wardrobe (which I tech and SM), and then I am acting in Sundance.  Then I have been working on the new show for Mirador which I have written/adapted, I have the film festival going on, another show with Lorie for Ashkenaz and finally the title role in My Name is Asher Lev which begins rehearsing September 4.  So I have been busy.  Where are we now?


Today the my Fringe shows opened.  Lion sold out, and Jon Kaplan was there to review it.  What a great feeling.  I had a few hours off and then I opened in Sundance.








Sundance has been a great experience. Working with Eli and Ana-Maria as dual directors was interesting.  There was not the structure I was used to, and Ana was rare to allow us to just get a whole scene out, the note came the second something happened which she would like to see.  So like always a different process that I had to adapt too.  It is part of the fun in this field but also can have its hassles.  I hope that I weathered this one well, as it did challenge me quite a bit.  Ana said all was good.  But what has all this lead too?


See, the role of Jesse, in Sundance, is the most fun I have ever had in my life in an acting role.  He is one crazy manic western cowboy.  As I rehearsed I found these ups and downs, vocally first, bringing life to the dialogue.  From there, came my character, my walk, my talk, my everything.  It is the greatest creation that I have personally done to date and I love playing this character.  I am just out of my tree with the fun of this role.  But more than anything I feel I have created a character, one that is truly mine, that has used all my skill and brought to life something which people will remember. Tonight, my great friend Stevie Jay, commented that my meticulous attention to detail was stunning.  Another commented that my presence on the stage was a focal point.  But  most valuable to me were the strangers commented on how powerful my performance was.  


I am grateful for all the positive feedback which I receive.  In the end though those comments speak to audience enjoyment and that is what I am hearing.  "We enjoyed the show" is what I am hearing and that is the most important part.  I am so happy to be playing this character.