Big Top Fringe Tattler

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 20/07/2011 (5389 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

ON THE CANNIBAL MENU? A guy started yelling outside the doors of Cannibal! the Musical, “Don’t effing touch me! Don’t effing touch me!” Was it part of the show? Was someone afraid of being eaten? Turns out it was an adamant latecomer trying to get through the doors to the show at the MTC Warehouse. Says fringe executive producer Chuck McEwen, “We have a no-latecomer policy, and this was a first-time fringer with a friend already inside.” Why so strict? “Because it’s a fringe play and you could walk in and end up walking right onto the stage.”

SOMETHING IS ROTTEN: At Hamlet the musical (Bananafish Theatre) on Saturday night, Laertes was supposed to avenge the deaths of his mother and sister by killing Hamlet with his poisoned sword. But Laertes started slashing away with his wooden sword — and it broke, leaving him with a stub, and the audience giggling. The script reads: ‘I’ll have at you NOW!” and Laertes and Hamlet started trying to clash swords, but had to keep going and going so it was more like “I’ll have at you, EVENTUALLY.” Finally, they pretended it was a dagger. The show must go on, but not on and on!

ATTENDANCE: Monday’s ticket sales were 6,988, says McEwen, “Sundays and Mondays are always a bit down from the weekends, as there’s no midnight starts until later in the week.” The total ticket tally to date is 39,994, up about 200 seats from last year’s mark of 39,796. “We need a bunch of fringers to come on out and keep our record happening and moving up,” he says. “The Winnipeg fringe has had new records every year since 2007 and we want to try to keep that happening! Because of the heat, people are coming out a show or two later in the day than usual, but it’s still better than having rain.”

THIEF! THIEF!: A local busker known as Chris Without the Hat did a machete-juggling show as part of the act on Sunday and a thief walked off with three juggling machetes that were stowed in a bag. That’s a nasty thing to do to street performers who are often strapped for money to buy new ones. And it’s dangerous to have the old ones on the street. Seems no one’s conscience is bothering them. McEwen says Chris was “very disappointed” but is managing well with other props, such as his chainsaw. Plus, they’ll have a fundraiser to replace the machetes.

PERFORMERS’ NIGHTMARE: Evening outdoor stage hosts Ken Rudderham and Tim Cranwill had to fill in for a unicyclist who didn’t like a particular audience and quit her show halfway through, cycling off into the sunset. The comic duo hustled onstage and did a good hour of extra entertainment. Luckily, these guys who are a music/comedy duo have a tent full of props. “And we’ve got more costumes than Madonna!” The two come onstage as clowns or wrestlers in tight satin shorts, do a Star Wars light saber routine, and make like crazy cowboys and flying acrobats. Funniest routine? They play Sagittarius, a British rock act whose members stare deeply into each other’s eyes when they sing love songs. (Psst! In real life Ken and Tim are both married guys, with kids!)

mscurf@shaw.ca