This Article’s a Dud
They say that no press is bad press and The Star is usually pretty good about featuring the Fringe on its pages but there’s something about this online article (featured on The Star’s sister/cousin/brother site toronto.com) which really rubbed me the wrong way. This helpful list of tips, detailing how to avoid the “duds” at the Fringe essentially precludes seeing… anything at the Fringe.
According the article we should avoid:
- “Dramaturgy”. Heaven forbid a writer aspire to improve a work in progress.
- “Crappy Venues”. The author cites the Factory Backspace as one to avoid. If I’d heeded this advice last year I would have missed two of my favourite shows. This is About the Push (featuring our own Kimwun Perehinec) and Pick of the Fringe (recently nominated for a Canadian Comedy Award. ). Venues are assigned to artists and are in no way an indication of the relative merits of a production. Yes, you may sweat through your fanny pack but odds are – if the show’s a winner – that will be part of the magic.
- “Minimalist production values. No set, no lighting, no costumes. Just two actors on a bare stage, morphing between characters with baffling rapidity.” These two sentences alone attempt to negate virtually every great experience I’ve had at the fest. Chris Craddock’s Moving Along comes to mind. Just one actor onstage, morphing between characters with baffling rapidity – AND BLOWING MY MIND!
- “Overly ambitious productions.” Seriously. I have nothing to say here.
- “One name everywhere. Writer/director/producer/actor/lighting and costume designer.” While I agree there’s merit to having another eye in the room and over extension is a risk – the “one person does all/Johnny LaRue school of production” is often the only way many artists can afford to take the show on the road. And all the power to ‘em. What’s sweeter than splitting the box office with yourself?
The list goes on, and while I appreciate the author’s attempt to find a new angle and help the uninitiated, the whole thing seems a tad cynical, bordering on mean spirited.
Here’s to a great Fringe – filled with overly ambitious, self-produced, minimalist mayhem. Do yourself a favour – give this list a pass and jump in whole heartedly.
How about you? What potential “duds” would you have missed if you’d taken Mr. DeMara’s advice?
- Mark McGrinder
- A co-founder of Studio 180, Mark is a Toronto-based actor, writer and producer. As a member of our Core Artistic Team, Mark coordinates the company’s new play development initiatives and works as an artist educator piloting our in-school Education Initiative. More posts by Mark McGrinder
Not the Star, Toronto.com. Two VERY different publications.
Oh. Look. The Star now owns Toronto.com.
I missed when that happened.
Interesting.
But even though Toronto.com is now owned by The Star, it’s still a totally different publication. I don’t think you’d ever see something like this on the pages of The Star. (and no, I’m not particularly a fan of The Star, although I do seem to be particularly a non-fan of Toronto.com)
If you go to the Star’s website and click on Entertainment it redirects you to toronto.com and Mr. De Mara is a writer at the Star (a relief theatre critic, Richard’s number two). Apologies if I’ve inappropriately implicated the Star but the truth is – this is someone responsible for genuine theatre criticism in this city and it bespeaks a real contempt for grass roots creation. It seems to go hand in hand with the whole “ordinary people don’t care about the arts” thing from last year. As a writer of note in our city (whether on behalf of the Star or not) he should be touting the opportunity to see art in its rawest, most authentic form. Cynicism about arts funding is based largely on the belief that it’s all fancy galas and $120 a ticket shows. By devaluing genuine, bare bones creation he perpetuates the notion that elaborate, slickly produced work is all that matters. Perhaps if people were encouraged to seek out more of the former and less of the latter and glimpsed the coarse realities of what we do they might understand why artists and arts organizations (like Summerworks) so desperately need support from outside sources.
1. Chris Craddock (his name is pretty much everywhere in the program and publicity of his shows. Written by Chris Craddock. Performed by Chris Craddock…) anyone who avoids something that has Chris Craddock’s name all over it is heading straight for kicking their own ass later.
2. Venues. Factory Studio and TPM Backspace (Yes, it is so hot in the summer, I know it is, but STILL), Fringe or no Fringe, these are two of the most historic venues in the history of theatre in Toronto. Think of all the amazing shows and artists that have performed here… people who have gone on to be giants of the Canadian Theatre Industry. These venues deserve our respect both during Fringe and any other time during the year. If you don’t know the history of the traditions of theatre in this country you should not be writing theatre criticism for The Star.
The Star’s theatre coverage continues to appal me and is one of the reasons for my continued work at TWISI because I believe adamently that we as a community and we as a city deserve better. This sinks to a new low. The Star should be ashamed.