There is this apathetic myth that tends to circulate among Haligonians from time to time that I would like squash right now. It is the myth that nothing cool ever comes from Halifax and nothing cool ever happens in Halifax. So frequently it seems like the general public in Halifax looks wistfully toward Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver and laments that it has been short sided. This is not necessarily so and I am not talking about the fact that as I type these words Paul McCartney is hanging about our fair city (in the glorious sunshine and mild summer heat) readying for his concert tonight in the park where we have all played Frisbee, walked our dogs, jogged, rode our bikes and sunbathed. No, I am referring to the success of some of Halifax/Dartmouth’s own talents, specifically the popularity of a little video sketch called Powerthirst.

            Powerthirst currently has 15, 414, 516 views on youtube (a number of hits that this blogger only dreams about!) and Picnicface, the Halifax-based sketch comedy troupe that has been running like Kenyans since 2006, has garnered fans across North America and around the world. Although Picnicface has reached Internet celebrity and their youtube videos have joined Sidney Crosby and Ellen Page as being household names across HRM, if not throughout the province, what many people don’t seem to realize is that living in Halifax gives you a huge advantage over the hoards of other Picnicface fans living elsewhere, because every second Sunday the Picnicface boys and girls do a live show for just five bucks at the Paragon on Gottigen Street.

            On July 5^th I found myself at the Old Marquee Club, now known as Paragon, in a slowly gentrified strip of Gottingen Street, surrounded by young hipsters in skinny jeans, sipping soy beverages and seeking Halifax’s small (but mighty) Independent Theatre scene. It became apparent that a large number of the audience that filled Paragon for the newest Picnicface show avidly attended the shows and were familiar with the troupe’s style and their sketches. Although, I was a little surprised by how easy it was to snag a seat in the relatively small venue considering the live shows are biweekly and this troupe is internationally known. I was thrilled, however, that the show boasted of entirely new sketches that you cannot see anywhere else.

            The Picnicface Troupe, made up of Andrew Bush, Kyle Dooley, Cheryl Hann, Mark Little, Brian MacQuarrie (who was MIA in the July 5^th show), Evany Rosen, Scott Vrooman and Bill Wood, are masters at creating the ultimate succinct, clever, absurdist sketches which always seem to walk the line between sketch and improvisation. There is this laissez-faire ambiance surrounding Picnicface which suggests that at any moment an unexpected hullabaloo could ignite, and Little and Bush would calmly and wryly catapult its hilarious elements into the show. When the sketches are particularly incredible, it seems as though they are being created spontaneously and the audience is prone to wondering whether particular moments emerged organically or were deftly scripted by the troupe.

            Highlights from the July 5^th show included Kyle Dooley’s remarkable 1940s gangster voice, Andrew Bush’s exuberant shoe/jacket salesman, the sophisticated witty word artistry displayed in Bill Wood and Kyle Dooley’s scamply radio play, the cleverness of the Scott Vrooman/ Mark Little sketch which reflected on the marvel of the evolution process from babyhood to adulthood, Bill Wood’s disgruntled crazy employee, and Mark Little’s cartoon-like Agent Buttburger. There was a clear sense of continuity between the sketches as there were recurring characters sprinkled throughout as well as referential sketches. At the end of the show a multitude of familiar characters crowded into one sketch which provided a clever sense of conclusion. Despite some technical glitches, Bush and Little’s comic timing and sense of confidence turned any hitch into a source of glee rather than irritation.

            After an intermission where patrons were encouraged to pay visit to the bartender, the Picnicface gang treated the audience to some Improv, which was quite basic, but ultimately entertaining. The highlight of the Improv was Andrew Bush’s rap about racism. It’s interesting to note that the members of Picnicface have recently returned to Halifax from Edmonton where they were performing at Improvaganza at the Varscona Theatre. This proves to me why I think it is so important for the theatre community in Canada to be aware of the events and the talented performers all across the country, because ultimately we are all connected, and so often our worlds collide and our talents are given opportunities to overlap. Improvaganza is the perfect example, as members of Rapid Fire Theatre (which includes many members of Teatro la Quindicina) played host to Improvisers that I blog about frequently in Toronto as well as Picnicface from Halifax. I love seeing artists from across the country playing and learning from one another and I hope that these opportunities will only increase in the future!

             Next Sunday, July 19^th, 2009 will be Picnicface’s last show before they go on hiatus for the summer, so I encourage you all to support these talented folks and head over to Paragon (2037 Gottingen Street) at 8:00pm for the show. It costs an incredible mere $5.00 and is well worth its weight in the power of 500 babies.           

I don’t make a secret of the fact that I usually don’t like my Shakespeare “fucked with.” It’s not necessarily that I am a Shakespeare “snob” (that depends on your definition of snob), but I think that Shakespeare’s works are so seldom professionally produced in places like Halifax with one regional theatre and a few independents who are passionate about creating new works and a Fringe Festival which so often provides space for contemporary and Canadian productions, that when I go to see a Shakespeare production I want it to be a work of quality. Maybe, if I’m being honest with myself, I want it to seem “authentic” or even “reverential,” but those concepts are neither here nor there. Quality, though, does seem to be a fair expectation for a theatregoer to have. For this reason, I tend to have a love-hate relationship with Shakespeare by the Sea, because too often I leave frustrated in feeling that they fucked too much with the play.

I understand, of course, that Shakespeare by the Sea, is attempting to make these shows assessable to a non Shakespeare-savvy crowd of Haligonians, and that their target audience are tourists and park lovers who want to be entertained, and perhaps it is ambitious and impractical of me to feel like the Bards’ words alone are sufficient to translate to these particular people. In any case, I think there is a balance that must be struck. I’m happy to report that in the case of their newest Shakespearean offering, Love’s Labour’s Lost, I think the balance is pretty near accurate.

Love’s Labour’s Lost is a really silly play and therefore it lends itself nicely to the antics of this group of actors and the dynamics of the park itself. It is written in a pastiche of poetic styles from Shakespeare’s time which lends itself to feeling a little clunky and reminiscent of plays written by other less sophisticated Elizabethan playwrights. Its plot is extremely loose and often confusing, and the direction by Elizabeth Murphy helped to clarify a lot of the subplots and strange Shakespearean antics. I found the choice to use more modern-style dress also helped to illuminate the characters and establish them visually within their context. The costumes also suggested Noel Coward to me, which was an interesting analogy. I was a bit confused with the costume choice for Ari Millen’s Moth, who was the only character who looked like he had walked off the set of Grease.

There were several really fantastic performances that made watching this production enjoyable and at times particularly hilarious. Amos Crawley was absolutely brilliant as Berowne. His command of the language is breathtakingly superb and it makes his performance shine with finesse and every moment appear so natural and honest. Kevin MacPherson was also in complete ease with his lines and was able to express an exuberant silliness that lent such energy to the production. Jeff Schwager was hilarious as the foppish, witty, Boyet. I was particularly impressed by Caitlin Stewart this year, who played Rosaline with a mixture of spunky ingenuity. She reminded me of Maggie Gyllenhaal and within the context of this show that worked really well. Drew O’Hara shone brightly as the shy, awkward Dumaine, giving a particularly genuine performance, which Shakespeare’s words don’t always lend kindly to. Simon Henderson was absolutely delightful as Dull, utterly reminiscent of a Muppet, and Jeremy Webb was also Muppet-like (more specifically hysterically akin to Pepe the King Pawn) playing Don Adriano De Armado with a wayward accent and extra, extra cheese. The Queen of the Park, though, was definitely the divine Geneviéve Steele whose French accented Shakespearean verse as The Princess of France was absolutely flawless. She had such spunk and joie-de-vivre; it was a pleasure and real treat to watch her perform.

Despite the fact that the play is long (it runs until about 9:30pm with an intermission- during which if you’re cold, you can cuddle for free with Jeremy Webb) and the Second Act drags in bits, Love’s Labour’s Lost is a fascinating play to see. The ending is especially unexpected and the performances infuse it with a sense of modernity and relevance that I found surprising. At its core, however, it is still a nonsensical romp in the park and one that adds just the garnish a Haligonian summer’s day dish needs to add spice and delight.

Love’s Labour’s Lost runs in rotation with Jack and the Beanstalk Market (not written by William Shakespeare) and MacBeth until Sept 6^th, 2009. Admission is by donation, with a suggested donation of $15.00. You can bring your own blankets or chairs, or you can rent chairs at the park. All shows take place in the Cambridge Battery in Point Pleasant Park (5718 Point Pleasant Drive) and you can consult the Shakespeare By the Sea Schedule for show dates and times.