Ok, folks, let’s get into part 2 of my Toronto Fringe festival reviews. 8 more shows in this grouping.

11. Dancer

I hate horseracing (lol if you know, you know). But I really liked this show – which is about horseracing, if that wasn’t clear. Dancers in various shades of brown lululemon attire play horses, which surprisingly worked for me. After all, horses are majestic, as are incredible dancers. The dancing is SUPERB – so superb that I used capital letters for emphasis. The lead actor – Keanu Uchida, playing Northern Dancer – was brilliant. Backing up a bit, this show is the most professionally produced one in the bunch. Granted, the show isn’t perfect. There are a few songs I’d change and maybe some acting choices I didn’t love, but it’s by far the most polished large-scale show I’ve seen at Fringe, and it’s sold out for a reason: it’s wonderful. Barring any internal issues, Dancer will definitely be produced at a Mirvish/Broadway level, and I can’t wait to follow its journey.

12. Corporate Finch

Thriller. Mystery. Spooky. Mood lighting. Birds (ew). Wonderful acting. Cleverly directed. The ending confused me a bit, but overall, this show was great. It was unlike anything else I’ve seen at the festival, and this one goes on my faves list for sure. I don’t really want to write too much more since it’s a thriller..but it’s a good one.

13. [Redacted]

*This review has been removed.*

14. Are You Catching What I’m Throwing?

This show was absolutely fantastic. Alex Larson – the juggler in this one-man juggling show – is very skillful, and, dare I say, makes juggling look cool-adjacent. Yes, the show is fun and playful and funny and everything you would expect from a juggling show, but it’s got heart. I didn’t realize I would develop an emotional attachment to a hat atop a juggling club (I looked up what it’s called). Alex doesn’t speak during the show – smart, no lines to memorize – but he conveys so much through thoughtful pantomime. This show is about human connection more than anything, so perhaps it’s apt that after meeting Alex and his juggling buddies outside a theatre, they immediately invited me to join their weekly practice group**. Thanks, nicest people ever, but I’m super clumsy (#imsoquirky #imnotlikeothergirls). New friendships and jokes aside…it’s truly special – and, dare I say, “cool” – watching an expert perform their perfected skill, and I’d encourage you to check this one out.

**Update: I went to juggling club. It was super fun.

15. Danielle Tea’s Infernal Latte

Ok, so this show is based on Dante’s Inferno, except Britney Spears guides a barista named Danielle through hell. I thought this show was pretty damn funny. Danielle Tea’s Infernal Latte demon-strates the power of teamwork and friendship and Britney Spears. I especially liked the dynamic between The Devil, Malthus, and the assistant manager barista. The manager comes in to assist the Devil, who has left Hell in a state of grim repair. It’s nicely acted, smartly written..lots of pop culture/Britney jokes. I’m probably the exact demographic they were going for. Really enjoyed this one, and you will, too, if you enjoy sin-ammon on your latte (sorry, I’ll be done now).

16. The Woman Who Ate Falafel

The Woman Who Ate Falafel is a one-woman show earnestly discussing the life of a new immigrant to Canada. Creator/performer Fatma Naguib has great on-stage presence. Her story was quite moving – the resilience she displayed to finally make it to Canada was impressive. I especially loved the moments when Fatma talked about having to learn “new” English (i.e. ‘politically correct’ English). I also related to the part where Fatma talked about trying to tone down her Egyptian-ness to fit in with the Western crowd – it made me think about if I ever do that, too. I was invited to come see the show (though for clarity, I bought my own ticket), and I’m glad the team put this one on my radar.

17. The Bad Mitzvah

I was really looking forward to this one, because it’s right up my alley. And I wanted to love it. Overall, I thought it was cute, and it reminded me of another Canadian play, 7 Stories by Morris Panych (written in 1990). In The Bad Mitzvah, Abigail is trying to write her Bat Mitzvah speech, but keeps getting interrupted by kooky characters. In 7 Stories, it’s the same premise except the protagonist is on the edge of a building contemplating suicide. Anyway, The Bad Mitzvah had some sweet moments. The lead actor (writer/creator Stephanie Zeit) is clearly very talented, and the show was basically a vehicle to feature her talents, as every other character wasn’t as well fleshed-out as her own. Hey..it’s a tough world, and if you’re talented enough to write yourself a role, all the power to you. I thought Nezar El-Rayes was wonderful in the role of Nathaniel – he was my standout performer in this show.

18. Frankenstein(esque)

It’s sort of about Frankenstein with a 6 foot puppet, but it’s also about the making of the puppet, being an absentee parent, and creating theatre that will make you feel something. This was probably the most “Fringe” show I saw. It was very meta, a play-within-a-play. The friend I went with really didn’t like this one. I thought it was weird and wonderful, and I liked it quite a bit. The cast also seemed like really interesting people.

Photo credit for featured image: Fringetoronto.com