THE LADY SHOW
What a fabulous 25-minute sketch show! Unfortunately, the runtime is 55 minutes. The end result settles somewhat south of fabulous, but it’s still a net positive.
Four uproarious actresses present a variety of approaches—stand-up! sketches! stand-up sketches! movie trailers! vagina pants!—on the loose theme of… ladyness? Ladyism? Look, it’s feminist, it’s hilarious, and I laughed more times than I can count.
I also got bored more times than I can count. Pretty much every bit is overlong, with dead space you could haul a semitrailer through. A ruthless directorial eye would go a long way to shoring up the gaps, but the production embraces a slapdash feel, for good and for ill.
I loved Fatima Dhowre’s stand-up and Diana Bang’s surreal ballad. In contrast, a noir interrogation scene overstays its welcome by what feels like nine hours.
Still, the end result is dizzying, in all possible ways. Bring your loudest friends and remember to predrink.
Remaining performances at the Firehall Arts Centre on September 8 (8:15 p.m.), 9 (10 p.m.), 12 (7 p.m.), 15 (6:15 p.m.), 16 (8:45 p.m.) > David Johnston
This is a guest review.
David Johnston is a Vancouver-based actor, aerialist, and writer, not in that order. He recently hailed from the Edmonton Fringe, where he saw many excellent shows and also ate a green onion cake. The green onion cake got three-and-a-half stars. David is a recent graduate of Studio 58, and is currently writing a script about reviews, so this should be a rather meta experience. He’s delighted to join FRESH SHEET for the Vancouver Fringe.
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