The Montreal Fringe Festival has returned, bringing a ton of off-the-wall shows, exhibitions and musical acts with it. Since 1991, the festival has been showcasing a wide range of ideas and performers, from the incredible to the awful, since they pride themselves in sticking by their four rules:
1) No Artistic Direction. Artists are selected by lottery.
2) No Censorship. Artists have complete freedom to present ANYTHING.
3) Accessibility to artists. Anyone can apply to the lottery.
4) Accessibility to audience. Ticket prices are kept low and 100% of the ticket price is returned to the artists you see on stage.
Of course, the lottery means that you’re never guaranteed a show that’s up to the standard of a jury, but on the plus side, you can be absolutely sure that what you’re getting is going to be something different. And this Saturday, I was lucky enough to catch The Hefner Monologues.
Hugh’s cousin, John Hefner presents a show about making a name for yourself when someone else already has. An awkward geek in the shadow of a man with three girlfriends and a sex empire, Hefner’s monologues paint a picture of a man both finding his place in the world in a way that is as funny as it is stunningly raw. Whether its the tale of his first attempts at finding love or the story of a strange reception to his naked body during his first on-stage nude scene, it’s hard not to be taken in by Hefner’s gotta-love-’im charisma. He’s as good at comedy as he is at dramatic expression and the show’s a real treat. If you’re in town, make sure to check it out, or take a look at TheHefner.com to find out when he’s headed your way.
[...] weekend, during the Montreal Fringe Festival, I spent a lot of time downtown around St. Lawrence, seeing the sights and people-watching between [...]