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Kali Thurber, A&E Editor

The Fringe’s Forest Gump-like tag line, “You Never Know
What to Expect” is the truest bit of advertising that ever
was. Virtually the only criterion that Fringe performers must
meet is to be one of the first 100 to send in $650. Though
this means that in the midst of many powerful, shocking,
and hilarious performances there are many not so great
ones, we should still be grateful that this criteria hasn’t
changed since the festival began, 20 years ago, in the back-
seat of Fringe founder Joanna Maratta’s VW bug.

Even in today’s entertainment world, where it seems
nearly impossible to truly shock the often-desensitized audi-
ence, the Fringe Festival is still the only event that gives
those who dare the chance to perform the most risqué of
shows. For that it should be considered the most commend-
‘able of Canada’s artistic events. As Joanna Maratta says,
“Anniversaries are a time to celebrate, reflect, and share
memories,” so let’s do just that with this year’s 20th anniver-
sary of the Vancouver Fringe Festival!

The Greatest Rock ‘n Roll Story Ever Told

In a very Fringe fashion, this garage rock opera begins in the
beginning—that is, the beginning
of time. A broadcaster’s God-like
voice declares, “In the beginning,
God said, let there be light; and
so there was light.” Shining across
a white sheet, a rectangle of white
light is shown. The voice contin-
ues, “In the beginning, God said,
let there be rock ’n roll; and so
there was Rock'n.” And it was
good.

Rock’n is the mullet-clad, truly
rockin’ band that Johnny, Rick,
Buddy, and Chad formed in high
school in the 80s. Now, the 90s
finds the ex-members of Rock’n
as a janitor, a terribly unconvinc-
ing car insurance salesman, and
an opening act at a gay strip club.
In the best stupidly comedic
scene I’ve seen live, Johnny
Rock’n (currently known as
Johnny Karate) performs the
ridiculous opening act from the
gay strip club he works at now.
Entering with an alter and a
Canadian flag, fashioned six-year-
old-boy style as a cape, Johnny
Karate leaps through the audience
with clumsy little faux-karate kicks

into the air. This is the most loopy,
downright hilarious scene since Ben
Stiller threw down the model for the
Center For Kids Who Can’t Read Good
in Zoolander.

The plot thickens when the band’s old
high school principal, Mr. Higginson, rises
out of the audience (claiming to have only
been in the strip club for a sandwich) and
attempts to crush Johnny Karate with his
repeated bellowing of the word “Pathetic.” With the enthu-
siastic rage this creates in Johnny Karate, he gets Rock’n
back together for one last stab at annoying Mr. Higginson.
And so we watch Rock’n play their three very distinct songs,
“We’re Rock’n,” “Cincinnati,” and, “Rock’n in Cincinnati.”

This show, held at The Butcher Shop, had much of the
audience laughing out loud, (including the local comedic
celebrity, Shecky Gray) and one heckler actually had to leave
the room to calm down. But to be frank, it was hard to tell
if the theatre group performed for the audience (who was

“In the beginning, God said, let there be rock ’n roll; and so there was Rock’n.”

  
 
  
  
   

mostly composed of their friends) or
Overall, the four of them seemed to |
blast putting this show on, and isn’t th
spirit of the Fringe? Maybe not, but n
when Rick Rock’n ended the evening
vanilla-flavoured sweat from his face,
“If you ever need proof that dream;
true,’ I was more than pleased to hay
show.

The Erotic Memoirs

Normally it’s a very
play about a Saint
about, just because
sounds like a dirty
ing, seductive story
Erik de Waal’s perfc
Rais, the mistake w
The play is a fictic
Gilles’ passion for k
endeavours that foll

With raw desct
experiences, de Waa
into detail about |
ences between t
respectable, and the
and ecstasy. The n
delivered in this onc
St. Gilles finding hi
a high and horny
priest arrives. Hidi
that the duchess sit
ures her, in a mann¢
the priest states un
is better than to rec

Impressively, thi
silken bed, with E
except for a white sk
of nudity created a lit

ae/200u