14°c Overcast
13°c Variable cloudiness
Winnipeg Free Press - ONLINE EDITION
ONEymoon (A Honeymoon for One)
Our Rating: 
Aqua Books (Venue 20), to Saturday
Caroline has speed-dated, online-dated and blind-dated herself into oblivion, so she decides to ditch the whole futile enterprise, proclaim her independence and marry herself in a real, white-dress wedding. Then she decamps to a beach resort for her solo honeymoon.
Toronto’s Christel Bartelse gives a fun, intensely physical performance, and her show is energetic and smartly paced, swapping between wedding scenes and her oneymoon, where her commitment to herself wanes. But Bartelse is at her best with the small, vivid, comedic details, like her annoyance at a boorish date who orders hot wings then leaves sticky, balled-up napkins all over the table. You said it, sister.
Trouble is, even I, her target audience, am totally bored with the whole woe-is-me-single-lady-can’t-find-a-man thing. And the show feels like an elaborate ruse Caroline has set up to persuade herself she’s better off alone, so it’s not convincing as a genuine defence of female independence. If you’re going to rehash a decade of chick flicks and the entire run of Sex and the City, it’s got to be mind-blowingly original, and this isn’t.
Some gentle audience participation.
— Mary Agnes Welch
From the official Fringe Festival program:
'A solo tour-de-force comedy about a woman who marries herself, starring "human fireball" performer (See Magazine) and Canadian Comedy Award nominee Christel Bartelse. Humour, heart and tap dancing too!
"A showcase for Bartelse's many talents, an evening of laughs and memorable moments" - nytheatre.com
"True showbiz pizazz" - NOW Magazine "Overflowing with charisma, impeccable comic timing, a manically gifted actor" – Vancouver Terminal City Weekly
Recommended For: Mature Audience
Length: 60 MIN
Tickets: $10
Discount Tickets: $8 for Students, Seniors
Warnings: Very mild language Licensed Venue – Under 18 must be accompanied by a legal guardian
History
Updated on Sunday, July 17, 2011 at 1:51 PM CDT:
Adds review
Updated on Friday, July 22, 2011 at 8:40 PM CDT:
Adds video
- Back to Top
- Return to Fringe Show Reviews
Poll
Most Popular Fringe Reviews
- The Fisherman and His Soul
- RiderGirl
- Sherlock Holmes: The Case of the Hansom Cab Killer
- I Hate Bill Pats
- Jesus Christ's Favourite Comedian
- The Gas Heart
- Sudoku Fever
- Wild Abandon
- Unadulterated Love
- Til Death Do We Part: The Six Wives of Henry VIII, a One-Woman Show
- Bloodless: The Trial of Burke and Hare
- RiderGirl
- The Green Room
- Sherlock Holmes: The Case of the Hansom Cab Killer
- Illuminati II: The Second One
- The Fisherman and His Soul
- Wild Abandon
- The Anger in Ernest and Ernestine
- States of Shock: A Vaudeville Nightmare
- Pig: A Peep Show of Forbidden Acts From The Farm
Ads by Google
You can comment on most stories on winnipegfreepress.com. You can also agree or disagree with other comments. All you need to do is register and/or login and you can join the conversation and give your feedback.
Have Your Say
New to commenting? Check out our Frequently Asked Questions.
The Winnipeg Free Press does not necessarily endorse any of the views posted. By submitting your comment, you agree to our Terms and Conditions. These terms were revised effective April 16, 2010.