Having Literary Fun on Day Five of the Victoria Fringe Theatre Festival

A break will soon be coming as I have done two shows a day since the Victoria Fringe Theatre Festival has started. Even fans of experimental theatre needs to rest before embarking on another round and I’m really looking forward to seeing Wes Borg‘s Get Me The F*CK out of Edmonton and St Michael’s University School’s Musical Theatre show Drowsy Chaperone at the end of the week.

Though for Monday night, I had to satisfy the literary nerd in me. FUNNER from Sunday night was just too unusual, and I needed a proper Shakespeare Fix, to which yesterday’s two shows fully succeeded in entertaining. The day also made me feel like I visited the worlds of several master storytellers than one:

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Atomic Vaudeville Tops Sunday Night at the 2017 Victoria Fringe Festival

The weekend had me frequently Fringing the evening hours away than the afternoon. More acts will be starting mid-week, and for those still trying to figure out what to see next, there’s only a few days remaining for the shows I have looked at. To those who have not gone to one of Atomic Vaudeville‘s shows, you will be pleased to know they will be producing this Halloween’s Rocky Horror Show and have two original musicals in the works. Of course, they will always be a staple to top off the first weekend of the Victoria Fringe Festival.

But before I got to the third show of the night, I was at:

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From Chasing Rainbows to War on Day Three of Victoria Fringe Festival

No, I could not find that pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, but I did find myself at the edge of town and in the heart for two enduring performances. One almost slipped by me since leprechauns are elusive and the other, must I go into “War?”

Paper Street Theatre Company has been around for years, and I’ve always noticed their many nerdy themed offerings. Sadly, I have missed some of those performances from long ago. Now, I make a point of always seeing them during Fringe season and make a better during the other parts of the year to see their shows. One day, I hope they will decide to put on Edgar Allen Poe and H.P. Lovecraft again.

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Enjoying The 2017 Victoria Fringe Festival at the Roxy

The Roxy Theatre (Venue 7)
2657 Quadra St
Victoria, BC

Yes, I’m going on a theme this year – to attend all the shows at a venue when they are back to back and when they fall into the category of horror, science fiction, mythology, supernatural or fantasy. The umbrella term is speculative and it covers the gambit to which I enjoy the most. I am generally up to date on in the world of popular culture. On day two, I was hanging out at some old haunts: the Roxy Theatre. I lived in the area during my childhood years, and always have fond memories of what was then when compared to now. Last night started “A Little Bit Zombie“-ish.

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Victoria Fringe Theatre Festival 2017 Kicks Off with Haunting Delights

The Victoria Fringe Theatre Festival is celebrating its 31st year, and it has no signs of slowing down. The diversity each year offers is unique. Some are better than others given the type of shows I like to see, and I am surprised at the number of speculative type shows have not dwindled. I begin my coverage with one show which is a parody of a staple tourist attraction that most locals are familiar with:

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Mr. P – The Story of the Real Mr. Potato Head is Fringe-worthy Fun!

1184948_500545486699996_1927149996_nQuebec-based Belzébrute Theatre has a wonderful show that really must be taken on the road for more people to see. If there’s a lesson to be learned afterwards, many a person from the entertainment industry will get it. The creative minds behind this production know how rigorous life is when constantly travelling, hitting places like Radio City Music Hall, just to perform night after night. Between balancing the struggles for finding recognition to just finding that me time to relax, the team who wrote this show created an entertainingly comic product which brings nearly a century of the best performers from live entertainment into a fun-filled 90-minute production.

Mr P – The Story of the Real Mr Potato Head looks at the life and times of the world’s most famous nightshade. An usherette welcomes audiences as they come in and provides much of the live music. The silent film montage introducing the spud gives this show a surreal-like quality ala Toy Story (especially when Pogo the sausage dog is introduced), and when he can channel the best — ranging from Frank Sinatra to Elvis to Michael Jackson and Freddie Mercury — this potato can win many a crowd!

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