It’s mid-July and that means it’s time for the Winnipeg Fringe Theatre Festival! This year the festival runs from July 16-27. There are 25 venues and 145 shows to choose from, including local offerings and national and international productions.
To get in on the fun, pick up a Winnipeg Fringe Festival program from any liquor commission in the city, or download the PDF on the Fringe website:
winnipegfringe.com
I’ll be reviewing some shows this year for CJNU, so be sure to read the latest review here on the website.
Below is the review for “Tycho Freakin’ Brahe!” at Venue 1 (John Hirsch Mainstage)
Check your program for dates and times.
WINNIPEG, MB — The first musical I saw at the Fringe by Kiss the Giraffe (KTG) Productions was Bloodsuckers! It blew me away, mostly due to the outrageous talent of composer/lyricist Joseph Aragon. Over two decades later, KTG Productions is back with another of its infamous musical send-ups. This one charts the titular tale of 16th century, Danish astronomer Tycho Brahe, who furthered the field of astronomy by developing instruments that measured and fixed the positions of stars, resulting in the most accurate accounts possible until the invention of the telescope in 1609.
The musical follows the last year of Tycho’s life and his relationship with his assistant, mathematician/astronomer Johannes Kepler, played by Sam Plett. Plett’s richly mellifluous, bass-baritone voice is central in the opening number, I’m Seeing Stars, hinting at more musical standouts to come. Instead, Tycho Brahe’s eccentricities – including his golden nose (get ready for a lot of nose jokes), that he fashioned after accidentally slicing off his real nose in a duel – become the story. By choosing silliness over substance, the production compromises the actual plot (which is a good one), and the Freakin’ Brahe’s zeal to “party like it’s 1599” takes centre-stage.
There are still plenty of good songs, pleasing choreography and a solidly talented ensemble, but this reviewer expected more from the long-standing company.
Robbi Goltsman-Ferris
CJNU Radio