DOES THIS TURN YOU ON?
Lolita’s Lounge

Though this show about “sexual fetish in the modern imagination” sounds racy, it is anything but. Rather, it’s a vaudevillian-style look at weird fetishes.

Actually, the show is rather informative — that is, if you manage to remember the names attached to some of these fetishes. I wrote some of them down, just in case I’m ever called upon to produce the words on Jeopardy. (Hey, you never know.:) For example, I learned that “forniphilia” means a furniture fetish. Sitophilia is a food fetish. Nasophilia refers to a nose fetish. Etc... Etc...

For each one, introduced by a placard, the two actors — Val Duncan and Celene Harder — do a little skit illustrating it in action. Both Duncan and Harder emit such wholesome vibes that … Read More

LOON
Lantern Church Sanctuary

Wonderheads’ Loon is a simple and quirky story about a lonely, middle-aged man who falls in love with the moon. And what works so well is that it doesn’t take long for the audience to fall in love with the protagonist.

Actually, perhaps “fall in love” isn’t quite the turn of phrase. The man himself is played by Kate Braidwood, appearing in an oversized mask adorned with red hair surrounding a generous bald spot and featuring an expression of permanent bewilderment. His middle-aged, loveless life unfolds without any words spoken, relying instead on the backdrop of a finely constructed soundscape.

We were already sympathizing with him as we watch him unsuccessfully try to find love through a … Read More

THE LAST MAN ON EARTH
Lantern Church Sanctuary

Keystone Theatre’s The Last Man on Earth is essentially a silent film put on stage. It does take a minute or two to acclimatize to actors making so sound whatsoever (though they are accompanied by an inexhaustible soundtrack from piano-man David Atkinson), but pretty soon you’re hooked.

The story is delicious, and suitably silly: the Devil (Stephen LaFrenie) and his eager, bat-like Minion (Sarah Joy Bennett,) plot to corrupt a regular, none-too-bright mortal named Gormless Joe (Phil Rickaby). The plot sweetens when Joe encounters pretty pie-maker Penelope (Dana Fradkin) over her wares, giving rise to the ‘flirty pie-eating’ warned about in the audience rating. At this point the Devil … Read More

Shad photograph by James Wilt

You could start off your days in worse ways than watching Jon Langford and Jim White trade songs, and that’s how Sunday started at the Alternate Universes workshop. It lived up to its name, too, with White telling numerous stories about growing up in the Bible-thumping South and Langford singing about the behind-the-scenes partying on the set of Moby Dick. Then it was off the see Three Metre Day, a gorgeous chamber-pop act led by Michelle Willis’s smoky barroom vocals, alongside her pump organ, Don Rooke’s slide guitar and Hugh Marsh’s violin. Three Metre Day was my annual “I’m going to see this band because of their name” band, and I left thinking about much more than their name.

All of this was followed by … Read More

photo by James Wilt

There was one workshop on Saturday’s schedule that was no doubt circled in just about every program on the festival grounds. That would be the 1:00pm engagement entitled Tinder Dry, featuring Tom Wilson, Sam Baker, Dan Mangan and Whitehorse. The crowd stretched back into the trees, spilled over into the children’s playground, and even threatened Stage 2. For good reason. Wilson kicked off the proceedings by playing The Replacements’ “I’ll Be You,” followed by Whitehorse doing Springsteen’s “I’m On Fire” and Baker contributing a Johnny Cash cover. Not often that Dan Mangan would be overshadowed in a workshop, but he was almost an afterthought early Saturday afternoon. The best part was each player explaining the … Read More

Blitz the Ambassador, photo by James Wilt

On Friday, the Folk Fest continued its tradition of creeping the start time earlier and earlier into the afternoon and expanding the schedule. Whitehorse, the husband and wife team of Luke Doucet and Melissa McClelland kicked it off at 3:00 pm. With a kick drum, a looping station and about 17 guitars between the two of them, they were well equipped to rock. There may not be a more pristine sounding band in Canada — McClelland’s voice is striking, and Doucet’s spaghetti western guitar noodling is just as distinctive. They tore through songs from their Whitehorse collaboration, as well as each of their solo works. It was a heck of a start to the day.

Later, Blitz the Ambassador woke up the crowd at … Read More

photo by Tye Carson

There’s always a bit of a risk in having one of the most anticipated acts of folk fest weekend play the first set on Thursday evening. There’s the reality that the majority of people will still be pouring in the gates while they play (and the probability that a large number of people are heading straight for the beer gardens). This year, The Barr Brothers battled a third factor – sound. After starting half an hour late, the band powered through persistent sound problems, but leader Brad Barr did his best to keep things moving and the band eventually finished a strong set before giving way to Charles Bradley and his Extraordinaires. 

The Extraordinaires came out first, horns blazing, and building to Mr. Bradley’s … Read More