In Review: FR!NGE

This past weekend, the FR!NGE festival treated its audiences to stories of minor-inconvenience-solving superheroes, comical murder plots and World War I soldiers, among many others.

Two of The Cord’s volunteers attended Show A on Jan. 14 and Show B on Jan. 15 to review the eclectic array of plays and short films created and acted out by students.

Show A: Thursday

Heroman (play)
Written by: Andrew Posen
2.5/4

A humourous alternative to your everyday superhero tale, the story follows Heroman and Sidekick Boy as they try to save their grungy apartment that they cannot afford.

However, instead of performing heroic acts, the duo gets by on solving minor inconveniences.

The play is entertaining because the cast, most notably Wade Thompson as Vitaman, fully commits to the ironic concept.

We Shall Not Look Upon His Like Again (film)
Written by: Ted Steiner
3/4

The artistically innovative short film about the real abduction of Elizabeth Smart is a challenging experience.

Pairing the low, intense voice-over with artistic black and white images, the film captures the psychologically comfort-twisting trauma of such a tragedy.

Public Display of Reflection (play)
Written by: Adam Cilevitz
3/4

The best-acted of any play, the small cast pulls off the story of a famous actress reflecting on her past.

Despite the melodramatic finale, the play is full of both hilarious and well-performed dramatic moments.

Vehemence (film)
Written by: Ron Butler
1/4

There was not enough talent to save the many awkward moments of this short film.

Director Ron Butler tried evoking a French new wave feel with the over-emotional tale of heartbreak.

Butler’s idea, despite its potential, falls apart with bad acting and cheesy lines.

Fairy Godfather: A Musical (play)
Written by: Lisa Sondergaard
2/4

Offering the best writing of all the plays, the plot of a stage manager hiring a hitman to kill his lead so he can hire a more talented actor was completely unique.

The jokes were wholly entertaining.

However, the cast was not strong enough to do the script justice.

Show B: Saturday

Going Up (play)
Written by: Carly Lewis
4/4

In this light-hearted comedy about five people trapped in an elevator, each learn from one another that nobody is perfect but that “mistakes are portals of discovery.”

The performers were vivid and colourful and spoke each line with excitement and sincerity; the actors successfully brought these odd roles to life.

The Everwood Massacre (film)
Written by: Mike McMurran
3/4

This film centred around the theme of society’s desensitization to the on-screen violence constantly being depicted in present-day media.

A horror film about a preacher who punishes youth for their sins, it was easy to see that director Mike McMurran focused intently on the process of filmmaking.

Death Pursues the Man Who Flees (play)
Written by: Travis Herron and Luke Dotto
3/4

This enthusiastically-acted comedy-drama featuring a group of World War I soldiers attempt to convince others to leave the trenches instead of themselves.

The play’s plot would have become monotonous except that the actors were able to delve into their character’s personas so elaborately.

Memorandum (film)
Written by: Dave Rodgers
2/4

The storyline of this tragic film was slow due to its non-linear scenes.

It was an attempt at contemporary artistic expression in terms of the actual filming and the plot, which lacked an extensive narrative.

Girls Who Ride Horses (play)
Written by: Maeve Strathy and John Kaye
2/4

The play makes many generalizations about women and left the audience with the message that pressures about female appearance will lead to self-destruction.

At the same time, it demonstrated a divide between women and hostility towards girls who enjoy entering into practices of femininity.

This extreme notion was shocking; however, the acting was intriguingly intense and powerful.

At the Bat (film)
Written by: Wade Thompson
4/4

This short and sweet narrative is about a guy who is unlucky with women. His conscience comes to life while he is on a date.

The story of the film was absurdly entertaining, as both the actors and their cantor were comical and clever, leaving the audience laughing by the end of the film.

* *Correction: the piece was based on Elizabeth Smart and not Emma Smart. The Cord apologizes for the error.