ase 14 The Bard on the Beach Stil a Theatrical Delight As You Like It Review Iain W. Reeve, A&E Editor After so many years of showing plays dating back hundreds of years which most of us studied in high school, one might think that Bard on the Beach would have slowed down some. But after taking in a show during their latest, and perhaps boldest, season, I was left want- ing more. Sadly, I'll have to wait until next year. The festival has sold out their major shows for the year. There are many compliments one could rain down upon the crew of As You Like It before the actors even take the stage. The location (in Vanier Park) is an open-air tent with a clear view of the other side of the beach. Allowing fresh air and a city view to permeate the per- formance made for a truly unique experi- ence. The set itself was simple but very well crafted. Several steps made of hard wood and narrow trees provided for believable transport through the many locations featured in the play. Little touches, such as loose rocks and a foun- tain, created a wonderful makeshift creek along the lip of the front step. The cos- tumes were excellent period pieces and were crafted well enough to allow the audience a degree of believability in the cross dressing adventures that followed. The play itself, one of Shakespeare’s lighter efforts, is a story about love in all its forms. While lacking some of the higher artistry of the Bard’s better- known efforts, this play stands its ground with sharp performances, whimsical and witty dialogue, and a truly enjoyable comedic charm. The characters, which may have been stock in the hands of other actors, were very well played. In particular, the actor who played Touchstone gave the character’s intona- tion and mime a modern spin, which was very enjoyable. Rosalind was surprisingly more enjoyable when impersonating a man. When in her female form, I often found her too sweet, though her wit was still devilish. The quality of the Bard festival con- tinues to dazzle me. This is one of the best annual events in the city and is a real point to brag about to your theatre-lov- ing friends everywhere. Vancouver Fringe Festival: Out to save theatre for us alll Tain W. Reeve and Steph Smith, Crack Theatre Duo Getting bored with typical theatre? Going to jump out the window if you read one more Shakespearian son- net? Are the works of Arthur Miller driving you to drink and putting stress on your already fragile social relationships? Well friend, do I have a solution for you. The good freaks, geeks, and other misfits of the theatre scene recently took to the streets, gyms, and theatres of Granville Island to bring us the best in off-beat theatre. Here is a sampling of what we saw: S.M.I.L.E. While You D.LE. Rachelle Fordyce writes and acts in a vicious piece of social commentary and satire about consumer cul- ture and the art of the sell. Rachelle plays Eve, a call center worker for BBS, an Internet service provider. The audience follows Eve through four days at her job, separated by four nights where her surreal dreams lead the audience deep into her subconscious. Through the workdays, we see Eve slowly sink further into depres- sion as her job becomes more and more repressive and she becomes more reliant on consumer products to make her feel confidant. Through the dreams, we see her dream self rebelling against this new self, until final- ly, these desires play out in her waking life. Rachelle is both charming and hilarious in her role. Anyone who has ever worked in a soul-sucking consumer job—or felt inadequate after buying that life-changing product—will be able to relate to this story. Cannibal the Musical I most was excited to see this particular Fringe play. How could something entitled Cannibal the Musical be anything but hilarious? Thankfully, I was not disappoint- ed. Even though there were a couple of mistakes, prop malfunctions, and wardrobe malfunctions, they played through them and even incorporated them into the play. At one point a character was shot and fell down dead on the stage with a bullet hole in the middle of his fore- head. It repeatedly detached. from his head and fell onto the stage. Without moving anything but an arm, it was put back into place a few times. The play was even fun- nier because of it. I have seen many musicals, and many plays, but this one remains one of the funniest. The characters were well-played, over dramatic, and inappropriate, just the way something called Cannibal the Musical should be. The musical numbers, such as “It’s a Schpadoinkle Day” and the “Snowman Song,” left the audience in stitches. It was the first Fringe play I saw this year that left me still laughing after I exited. It set the bar high, and although many of the other plays I saw were fantastic, this one was undoubtedly the best. I can’t praise it enough. A must see. Death by Promiscuity The synopsis in the Fringe booklet made this seem like an interesting play. It was played off as a dark com- edy about everyone being in love with the dead man at a funeral. What it was, was something entirely different. Merely four people played the 20 or so characters in the 15-minute piece. This made it confusing and hard to track. On top of that, there were no costume or make- up changes. One person playing one character would leave the stage and come back 30 seconds later playing someone different. The script was poorly written and seemed rushed, and the play in its entirety looked to be poorly rehearsed. The ending made no sense, and appeared to be weird for the sake of weird. At no point during it did I even come close to a laugh, and at the end, all I could do was wish for my 15 minutes back. My Fringe com- panion said it best, “That was 15 minutes spent watch- ing a bad play when I would have rather stood in line waiting for a good one.” A Brief History of Warfare Another one-person act, this one is less like a play and more like a mix of standup, slide show, and impromptu musical numbers all thrown together to cre- ate a maddening potpourri. Ivan Penaluna is your guide along an unpredictable path touching on everything from the way British naval vessels are named, to the Nazi campaign to destroy Joe Cocker, to the feud of who had the best moustache, Hitler or Stalin. This was certainly an off-key offering. At some points it was charming, while at others, it just seemed weak. Good for some laughs, but it just didn’t live up to its potential.