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culture

september 18, 2002

 

THE MYSTERIOUS MR. LOVE

I missed Dreamsurf’s production of Pinter’s The
Lover last year. After seeing The Mysterious Mr.
Love, | am kicking myself for the oversight.

The Mysterious Mr. Love tells the story of two work-
ing class characters trying to advance themselves in
pre-World War I England. Adelaide (Elinor
d’Angelis) is a chubby hat-maker, forced to live
with her parents and very conscious about her
weight. George (Marcus Fernando) is an accom-
plished con-man who marries women with money
and robs them blind on their wedding night.
Adelaide seems like an appropriate target, at first.
But their honeymoon proves to be more complicat-

ed than George had imagined.

Both d’Angelis and Fernando give compelling
performances as they share the stage for 80 fast-
paced minutes. Both continually break the fourth
wall, imparting important background, and then
jump back into the scene with such ease the audi-
ence barely notices the interruption. Their delivery
is flawless, and the energy both actors bring to the
stage makes them the perfect couple for this play.

Dreamsurf has brought a level of professionalism
to the stage not often seen in Fringe shows. The
potential of the company is exciting, and I look for-
ward to seeing them in Fringe’s to come.

THE LEFT HAND OF FRANK

Who would have thought one little hand could be
so damn funny?

Meet Frank’s left hand, or Pinky, as he likes to be
called. Once an icon of artistic integrity, Pinky sold
his soul to a network and is now the cheesy host of
The Minimalist Puppet Show. In his struggle with
fame, Pinky is joined by his puppet friends: a dog
versed in the philosophies of mankind, a drunk
who gives seminars on edict for dealing with “non-

puppets”, an interpretive dancer doing a Labatt
Beer commercial, your brain (well, not your brain,
but one just like it) and many more. It is an hour
of sheer hilarity; something that many Fringe
shows claim and few live up to. If you're looking for
depth, check out the Beckett show. If you want a
good long laugh, The Left Hand of Frank is the

show for you.

IN STORMY WEATHER:

FRED VARLEY

The life of Fred Varley, one of Canada’s Group of
Seven painters, is revealed through Gregory Strong’s
In Stormy Weather. It is an uneven production of
strong acting mixed with a weak script.
Christopher Bancroft is Fred Varley, an unstable
romantic whose talents as a painter carry him from
the vast Canadian wilderness to the front lines of
World War 1 and back again. Bancroft holds up
this one man show, moving easily through 14
scenes that represent different times in Varley’s life.
Unfortunately, he doesn’t have the material to back
up his talents. Varley’s character is revealed mostly
through conversations with his friends and wife.

Being a one-man show, this means Bancroft is con-
tinually holding conversations with someone who
isn't there. This is a tolerable device if used sparing-
ly, but grows tiresome very quickly. The problem
could easily be fixed by adding a second actor play-
ing multiple roles. It would add some much need-
ed energy to the play, and give Bancroft something
to play off of.

Overall, Jn Stormy Weather is an interesting look
into the life of one of Canada’s most famous
painters. Bancroft’s Varley is definitely worth see-
ing, despite the script’s flaws.

 

 

Dreamsurf — England
Venue 3 Studio 17
September 9

   

Frank Meschkuleit - Ontario
Venue 5 Waterfront Theatre
September 9

    

  

Gregory Strong - Japan
Venue 6 Festival House
September 6

 

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