Ottawa Fringe 2014: Against Gravity, Song and Stories of Davey Punk,

Against Gravity

The Story: That’s where the problem starts: the story. There isn’t enough of one to support the 45 minutes it takes for this aimless piece of shadow puppetry to wander to its uncertain end. During that time, one of the company’s performers plays guitar and makes electronically enhanced noises (the audience is also encouraged to makes noises) while the other operates an overhead projector that throws the shadows on a screen. Together, they create a wafer-thin narrative about a man who encounters a bunch of gravity-related experiences, from falling down stairs to meeting a group of Monty Pythonesque anti-gravity protestors. The show appears to be making a point about breaking free of restraints and concludes, unaccountably, with one of the performers taking centre stage for a portrayal of envy and other emotions.

Pros: Some fairly cool sound effects.

Cons: Self-indulgent and arid.

Verdict: Unlike the shadow-puppet bird that occasionally appears, the show never achieves ignition let alone lift-off.

Mind of a Snail Theatre Co., Vancouver

Plays in Academic Hall

Songs and Stories of Davy the Punk

The Story: Bob Bossin – you may remember him from the 1970s and ’80s Canadian folk music ensemble Stringband – turns storyteller as he spins the tale (“mostly true,” he says at one point) of his father Davy, a colourful member of Toronto-the-Good’s gambling underworld and Jewish subculture during the 1930s and ‘40s. Accompanying himself on acoustic guitar, Bossin tracks his dad and a bunch of other characters, from the criminal Mexican Pete to Bossin’s own beloved grandmother. We get vintage photographs on a large screen, anecdotes about small and big-time crooks, lessons in how bookmaking worked, gentle humour, and a recounting of the law’s relentless pursuit of Bossin’s dad, a man who, normally of few words, was nonetheless a great raconteur.

Pros: Bossin recreates a world little-known to most of us, blending tales of likeable law-breakers with affectionate glimpses into family and Jewish life back in the day. He has a warm singing voice and plays guitar in classic folk style.

Cons: The narrative meanders and, at one hour, is too long. Bossin is a singer, not an actor, although he gives the latter an energetic shot as he depicts various characters.

The Verdict: With editing and coaching, the show could shift from acceptable to good.

The Old Folksinger, Vancouver

Plays at the ODD Box