More Fringe

I actually had a Fringe-free Sat.  I first had to run over to Walmart to have a prescription filled and to buy a new bike light (as mine had been stolen on Friday evening).  Then I briefly hit the library, and then I went swimming.  It was surprisingly easy to get my laps in without bumping up against slow swimmers in the medium lanes.  I had hoped to finish up by 12:15, but it was actually 12:30 by the time I finished.  So I biked over to Carlton Cinema and saw Whispers of the Heart.  This is one of the relatively few Studio Ghibli films directed by someone other than Miyazaki (though he did write the script and generate the storyboards!).  It is also one of the relatively few Ghibli movies without fairy tale or supernatural elements, aside from a bit of a dream sequence.  (I guess one could also saw the same about Grave of the Fireflies, which I only just learned is officially a Studio Ghibli movie as well, and also not directed by Miyazaki.)  Anyway, it is a good film, once you get past the kind of icky feeling of watching two 14 year olds pledge undying love to each other...

Then I had a chance to see the Joyce Wieland exhibit at the AGO.  I'm glad she's getting the exposure (she also had a small show, more like a room of her art, at the National Gallery), but in general she doesn't excite me all that much.

Joyce Wieland, Betsy Ross, Look What They've Done with the Flag That You Made with Such Care, 1966

After this, I ran over to the Rex and saw a group called Waleed Kush Afro-Jazz.  As I probably have mentioned before, I like the Rex a lot, but it mostly presents jazz played by older, white men.  This group was a bit younger, though, I guess this being Canada, still the majority of the musicians in the group were white...

Sunday, however, I saw two Fringe shows.  The first was A Canadian Explains Eurovision to Other Canadians.  My wife got a kick out of this.  She is a pretty big Eurovision fan, and she said the guy knew his stuff, and she even learned a thing or two.  I have never really gotten that into Eurovision, probably mostly because I don't like watching TV for long stretches, no matter how "worthy" the subject.  And quite frankly, I don't have a lot of time for Eurovision until they do the right thing and kick Israel out, at least until they stop their all-out attacks on Gaza.  The show's creator, Matti McLean, sort of dances around this uncomfortable topic but doesn't let it spoil his appreciation for the spectacle of it all.

The last thing I watched was a sketch show by the Rhinoceros Collective.  One of the more distinctive aspects of this show was that it was broken in three parts.  Every skit in the first part dealt with cave men and prehistoric times.  The second part was all about chess.  And the last third was about the Illuminati (who knew that college students were still reading about the Illuminati these days!).  I thought the middle section was best, though the Illuminati dance was pretty funny as well.

I'm glad the Helen Gardiner Phelan Playhouse is being used again.  I think it had one Fringe show in 2022, but generally hasn't been used that much since COVID days.  Maybe this means it will be back in circulation for other UT productions, just as I am hoping Hart House Theatre will start putting on full seasons again.

That was pretty much the extent of my Fringing this weekend.  I have a couple shows lined up for Monday (In the Diving Bell and The Adding Machine) and then two shows up at Tarragon on Tuesday.

I might be able to make it out to one or two more shows, but I think I've kind of hit my limit this year.