Seven years, seven unapologetic theatre festivals. Fundy Fringe Fest has returned to Saint John for its 7th year in a row, with a lineup of seventeen outrageous, uncensored theatre shows. Theatre veterans and virgins alike are sure to be hitting Saint John in waves when the festival begins, so be sure to get in on all the best shows before the seating is all snatched up!
Here are five shows that we’re excited to see at the 2019 Fundy Fringe Festival.
The Host
In a small Maritime community, radio host Curt Riley goes live for his final broadcast. With his controversial mouth and “government interference” holding him back, Riley doesn’t have much to lose, but a mysterious visitor from beyond just may pry it from his hands. Combining satirical conservatism with a hearty helping of science-fiction, The Host is bound to be a hit.
A Side of Rice
Nicholas Rice is many things: a student, a teacher, a lover, a 67-year-old, a dad, and an actor who has spent the past forty-four years acting throughout Canada. A Side of Rice comes highly recommended as Rice’s first solo show in his entire career. It’ll be packed with stories, showcasing a few of those sides of Rice.
SLANG: A Solo Sketch Comedy Show
In the densely-populated category of shows that are both ambiguous, and yet intriguing, SLANG: A Solo Sketch Comedy Show stands out. Described as “It’s a COMEDY x PARTY explosion! SLANG features original characters & songs, too much dancing, two impressions (at least), “Gay Garbage”, Doug Ford, reveals – and I guess, like, A LOT MORE!” the concept doesn’t really leave a lot off the table.
More importantly, it’s performed by New Brunswick-born comedy writer Tom Hearn, winner of the Canadian Comedy Award for Best Live Production.
House: A Stand Up Sit Down One-Man Comedy Nightmare
“My mother is possessed by the devil. My father is the saddest man in the world. My sister is in love with the dog. The one I love does not love me … and I’ve got nowhere to live,” might sound perfectly ordinary to you, but Scott Shannon performing in the role of Victor makes it look like anything but. Nasty Shadows Theatre Co. have consistently delivered some of the best and most intriguing productions we’ve seen over the years, and this is likely to be a standout.
I Forced A Bot To Watch 1000 Hours Of…
Melding theatre with the internet, I Forced A Bot To Watch 1000 Hours Of… is diving deep into the true heart of all memes: cats. Centred on the concept of three bots being forced to consume 1000 hours’ worth of cat content, this abstract comedy performance is said to dig so thoroughly into the feline identity that everything else in life starts to lose its meaning. How could we not look forward to something that promises weird humour and the answer to our generation’s ever-burning question: “why are cat?”?
The Fundy Fringe Festival runs from August 19th to 24th in Uptown Saint John. For the full line-up of shows visit Fundy Fringe Festival’s website at www.fundyfringefestival.com