By Jessica Dionne for Curtains Up
(@maccajess)
It’s fun. It’s sexy. It’s awkward, and it pushes the envelope. The 18th annual Wildside festival at Centaur Theatre is not something to be missed if you’re looking to be wildly entertained by theatrical performances of all genres. From a show about a boy who loses his brother and makes another a la Frankenstein to a freakish rock ‘n’ roll opera, Wildside is both outrageous and hilarious and a wonderful opportunity to see some up and coming artists showcase their latest work.
Having kicked off its 10-day run last Wednesday evening with Aiden Flynn, Wildside is now well into its final stretch and these are my picks if you haven’t decided which shows to see yet. Rachel Mars’s The Way You Tell Them and Uncalled For’s Playday Mayday are undoubtedly the two best Wildside shows I’ve had the pleasure of seeing this year.
In The Way You Tell Them, UK sensation Rachel Mars examines our insatiable addiction to being funny. She presents the play to the audience almost as though it were a stand-up routine; often and effectively breaking the fourth wall, explaining her bits and ‘de-committing’ from the painfully serious topics and offensive jokes, coming to the conclusion that as long as you apologize from saying horrible things – or ‘de-commit’ – you can’t be held accountable for anything you say. Her subtle physical humour and ability to craft a story that comes full circle in the end will leave you satisfied.
The second show that stole my heart was Playday Mayday by Montreal’s own independent theatre company Uncalled For. The audience follows the fantastical adventures of five childhood friends who refused to fully grow up. Warning: this show causes extreme outbursts of laughter. The minimalistic set forces you to use your imagination and if I could offer one piece of advice for this play it would be this: don’t fight it; stop thinking like an adult and let yourself be a kid again.
On another note, I have to say that I was slightly disappointed with the hype surrounding Delicacy, which, although well-written and great at generating awkward laughs, left me with the feeling of having a deja-vu the whole way through. To put it in simple terms, if you’ve seen God of Carnage I would skip it.
The 18th annual Wildside theatre festival comes to a close this coming Saturday; don’t miss your chance to see some great theatre! For tickets visit centaurtheatre.com or call 514-288-3161.
