This is it — the last of PodSask’s Fringe reviews for 2025 are here!
Did you miss our first batch of reviews? Our second? Our third? Check them all out, then see here which shows left us impressed and amazed over the long weekend!
BRAIN
What we loved: Drink water. Cry less. Call mom. Fight God?
The to-do list is long when you walk into “BRAIN,” plastered across the stage in yellow notes. Brightly coloured and energetic, full of audience interaction before the show even begins — you could be forgiven for thinking this was a children’s show.
But it’s so much more than that. It’s a creative story wrapped in a wonderfully clever package, and features a couple of charismatic characters at the lead.
“BRAIN” is about, well, the brain. Left Brain (Jillian Burke) and Right Brain (Marissa Sauvé) are struggling to find ways to connect and communicate as they take care of the human, with the help of all the “neurons” (audience members).
What starts as a playful, expletive-filled and suggestive comedic show evolves into something deeper and more nuanced as the disconnect in this particular brain is explored in depth. Burke and Sauvé are pure brilliance in these roles, and – without spoiling too much – the ending leaves you with much more food for thought than you might expect.
What we didn’t love: The jump from “everything is fine” to “something is very wrong here” gets hinted at a bit, but the real fireworks of confrontation come a little out of nowhere. The show did not fill out the full hour-ish run time of a typical Fringe production, and there was maybe more space to fill in some gaps in the quirky relationship between Left and Right and spin out a more fulsome conclusion.
Verdict: Any qualms with this show are small – this is the Fringe at its finest. It’s a fantastic premise made spectacular by Burke and Sauvé, and one of those examples of a unique Fringe theatre idea pulled off with style. Add this one to your own to-do list for the Fringe. You will not regret your decision.
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
– Matt Olson
***
Shawn and Danny’s Deadly Adventure
What we loved: Move over, Bill and Ted – it’s time for Shawn and Danny to go on an excellent adventure.
Shawn Cuthand and Danny Knight are staples of the comedic community in Saskatoon, but this is the first time in a long time (or perhaps ever?) their Fringe performance has been narrative instead of a standup routine.
The premise feels pulled from an old stoner comedy-style movie: characters Shawn and Danny (played by the pair, respectively) are struggling with their comedy routine until they hear an old tale of the “funny bone” passed down through their ancestors’ history. In an effort to induce a vision to find the fabled bone – by getting really high and taking part in a traditional sweat ceremony – time-travel mayhem ensues.
If it sounds kind of ridiculous, that’s because it is — but boy did they have the audience in stitches. Knight is clearly a more comfortable actor than Cuthand, but they played off each other so well it doesn’t matter. Evoking old sitcoms and comedy movies, this was an old-school fast-and-funny play.
What we didn’t love: It was great to see Knight and Cuthand flex their acting chops, but the runtime of this whole show felt a bit long. The strongest bits (and the jokes that got the most laughs) came at the beginning and at the end. There are a few parts that could be removed from the middle of the show that probably wouldn’t have affected the plot or the overall experience.
Verdict: The best thing that can be said about this show is: it’s funny and it had the whole crowd laughing. Kudos to Knight and Cuthand for some well-delivered, self-deprecating bits that help the show resonate for the local community, and for the great outside-the-box writing that makes it shine overall. A fun, if uncomplicated, addition to this year’s lineup.
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ✩
– Matt Olson
***
The Singing Psychic Game Show
What we loved: “The Singing Psychic Game Show” is simply pure fun. Marysia Trembecka worked the crowd beautifully and managed to pull everyone into the festivities. Her focus was on “reading the songs in people’s hearts.” After a game or a short conversation, she would have a participant pull a card with a song title on it. Using the song title, she gave brief insight and advice that seemed to land true for the participants.
The games themselves were simple but effective. After splitting the audience into two teams, she used Jenga, Bingo, freeze dance and more to build a competition that had no real consequence except to engage the audience and keep them involved. This engagement kept everyone open to the guidance and advice that she provided.
While she sang some snippets of songs, the audience on Sunday evening responded most enthusiastically to the sing-a-long sections of Canadian favourites including Celine Dion’s “It’s All Coming Back to Me.” But the most impressive part of the show is that it will be different every time. The songs she chooses come from a large arsenal that will shift depending on chance and choices of the audience.
What we didn’t love: Her voice was fair, but she is not a powerhouse. Her strength lies more in her audience interactions than in her singing. That being said, she is hardly difficult to listen to.
Verdict: Trembecka’s interactive style allows for enthusiastic participants to join her on the stage along with opportunities for more reserved participation from the comfort of your seat. Regardless, it is an hour of enjoyable silliness that is a breath of fresh air at the Fringe.
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ✩
– Bobby Williston
***
Age Old Tales for All Ages
What we loved: Paul Strickland weaves music, comedy, and fantastical, allegorical stories into a show that the whole family can connect with.
Strickland presents his “reupholstered tales” of magical trees and cave-dwelling echoes with the warmth and wit of a well-seasoned storyteller. Alone on stage with a microphone and a guitar, he floated between conversation, song and narrative with ease, making the show feel more like a night by the campfire with your fun uncle — teasing included.
The stories were pleasantly brisk adventures sure to entertain youngsters while holding deeper wisdom easily recognized by those with more living experience. A sense of playful fun was present throughout, masterfully imparting the value of being kind or respecting our natural environment without ever feeling like he was giving a lecture.
What we didn’t love: A gem of wisdom Strickland delivered in this show rang especially true — adults are kids who’ve been taught not to be who they are. With no children in attendance, the audience participation landed a bit flat. His charm and stage presence did have many fully-grown folk making silly faces and squishing noises, but those moments could have been a lot of fun with more kids in the crowd.
Verdict: This was an enjoyably simple, yet profound, hour of storytelling. Strickland’s refined talents in music and narrative performance, along with his knack for playful banter, make this a show that truly is for all ages.
***
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
– Zak Stinson
***
Colourless Ruby and the Fantastical Missing Shades
What we loved: The journey of Ruby (Rachel Walliser) from her black-and-white home into a world of colour was a fun visual spectacle, sure to catch the attention of young audience members.
Solid performances from Walliser and Emma Eaton provided a lot of energy for a show with a two-person cast. Walliser put on a top-notch physical performance, including a cartwheel and some very believable mime work. Eaton was especially delightful as the kindly, if flustered, guard of the land of colour.
Basic but clever set design combined with colourful lighting and imaginative puppets provided the vibrancy one would expect from clown-centric children’s theatre. Ruby regularly asked the kids for advice or opinions, and they happily obliged. This interactivity, along with the coloured sunglasses given to audience members, had kids participating through most of the performance.
What we didn’t love: Not every piece of children’s theatre needs to teach a lesson, sometimes they can just be silly fun. In this case, it felt like the show was trying to impart some message through Ruby’s journey but it’s hard to be sure what that message was. A few expository moments pointed to themes of finding one’s true colours or appreciating others’ differences but they never really hit home, and lead to the dragging of pace in an otherwise lively show.
Verdict: Kids will enjoy this well-performed, bright and silly show despite occasional lulls. Adults might be left searching for a little more depth.
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ✩ ✩
– Zak Stinson
The Saskatoon Fringe Festival runs through August 9. Information for all shows, tickets, and the full festival program can be found at 25thstreettheatre.org/fringe-theatre.
