They're so cool they're hot.
Sept. 20 marks the opening of the inaugural Gibsons Fringe Theatre Festival. In its first year, Gibsons will be treated to three shows at the Heritage Playhouse - all of which have been gigantic hits on the Canadian Fringe Festival tour this summer.
The opening show at 7:30 p.m. features Jem Rolls and How I Stopped Worrying and Learned to Love The Mall.
If you've seen Jem before at The Boot or at The Heritage Theatre, you'll appreciate Toronto's NOW Magazine's observation that he is a master at 'interspersing his wicked wordplay with Basil Faultyesque clowning and various hilarious asides. He is hypnotic. A true Fringe gem.'Following Jem at 9 p.m., theatre-goers will be treated to Monster Theatre's irreverent and farcical look at the Bard in the Shakespeare show Or; How an illiterate son of a Glover became the Greatest Playwright in the World.Monster Theatre's founder, Ryan Gladstone has been touring the circuit for eight years and he is widely accepted as the premiere physical theatre artist on the tour.A graduate of the University of Calgary, and a 10-year veteran of Calgary's world famous Loose Moose Theatre, when he isn't touring the Fringe circuit, he works as a writer, director, actor, educational consultant, mask maker/performer and improviser in Vancouver.
On Sept. 21 at 2 p.m. Gladstone presents one of his Monster Mini Masterpieces to close the festival. For several years, these shows have been touring B.C. schools offering short adaptations of classics of literature to help get kids excited about reading. Using puppetry, masks, improv, original songs, physical comedy, satire and good old-fashioned storytelling, they expose young audiences to classics from around the world. The adaptations that will be presented are: The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne and Rip Van Winkle by Washington Irving.
Fridge Theatre Festival tickets can be purchased singularly for $12 per show in advance or for $15 at the door. Tickets for the kid's matinee are appropriate for ages three and up and are $10 a piece.
Tickets can be purchased at Gaia's Fair Trade, Hallmark Cards, MELOmania, Windsong Gallery or online at www.bowenboxoffice.com.
