5-Step Guide to Being German
Created and Performed by Paco Erhard
Sold out in London, Chicago, Sydney, Edinburgh, as well as festivals around the world, 5-Step Guide to Being German is Paco’s comical mission to set the record straight about his “charming, crazy mishap of a country”.
A reaction to British people’s stereotypes about Germany, 5-Step Guide to Being German delivers “an extremely clever analysis of the modern German psyche” (Independent Daily, AUS) that is “side-splittingly funny and violently politically incorrect” (The Argus, UK). 5-Step Guide to Being German was nominated for the Fringe World Best Comedy Award in 2013 and has been performed for companies and institutions as varied as the Goethe-Institut Australia, BMW, Mini, The German Consulate in Edinburgh, The World Tax Payers Association, and the Festival of German Films in Melbourne
Paco Erhard shows audiences the Germany behind the scenes, as he deals with topics as varied as German bluntness (“we just value honesty more highly than other people’s feelings”), hilarious dilemmas on the Autobahn, the secret behind lederhosen, and how it feels to have to grow up with Germany’s horrible past.
5-Step Guide to Being German is a highly entertaining and humourous show that seeks to unify people. It succeeds in every way. Paco is a confident, affable performer with excellent improv and crowd work. He has been touring his show around the world since 2011 and it shows in the ease and polish of the material and of the performer. There were several Germans and Europeans in the audience and it added to the experience hearing their knowing reactions. The show is exceptionally funny and has a surprising amount of warmth and depth. Performance Works was almost sold out on the night I went; buy your tickets now.
-Jim MacDonald
Cry-Baby: The Musical Awkward Stage Productions Director: Barbara Tomasic Musical director: Andy Toth Choreographer: Erika Babins Featuring: Victor Hunter, Katrina Teitz, Daniel Curalli, Kelly-Ruth Mercier, Synthia Yusuf, Ali Watson, Krista Skwarok, Stephanie Wong, Charlotte Wright, Darren Dyhengco, Vuk Prodanovic, Max Borowski, Courtney Shields, Sidney Klips , Tosh Sutherland, Brownyn Williams and Nathan Cottell Based on the John Waters film, Cry-Baby: The Musical focuses on Baltimore teenager Allison Vernon-Williams, who is drawn across the tracks from her 1954 finishing-school background into a relationship with the orphaned Wade “Cry-Baby” Walker, the leader of a pack of rebel outcasts. A Tony Award Nominated show by a Pick of the Fringe winning company. Funny / Musical / 90 minutes / 14+ / Coarse Language / Sexual Content Saturday, Sept 16th – 3:15pm Sunday, Sept 17th – 2:00pm & 7:15pm Firehall Arts Centre Awkward Stage Productions creates consistently strong musicals featuring large, young casts of emerging professionals. From their incredible and hilarious Titus to Trey Parker's Cannibal, Awkward Stage takes risks and their productions are often Picks of the Fringe. Cry-Baby features a witty script full of innuendo, 50's style music, and a tonne of fun and energy. There are some excellent performers in this cast, including a few from Titus, and some standout performances including Synthia Yusuf's spurned Lenora and Max Borowski in a number of roles. It's a very funny show and the live band makes the musical even better. The performance was almost sold out and I anticipate that the rest of the run will be as well; best to buy your tickets now. I highly recommend seeing anything Awkward Stage creates. -Jim MacDonald |
| SWORDPLAY: A PLAY OF SWORDS | |
Created and performed by Sex T-Rex Winner of the 2015 Just for Laughs Best Comedy Award. Funny / 60 minutes / 14+ Friday, Sept 15 at 6:45pm Sunday, Sept 17 at 1pm False Creek Gym Swordplay is a wonderfully fun and hilarious swashbuckling adventure. The pace and energy are terrific. This is theatre that even people that don't go to theatre can enjoy. As an added bonus, the show also features one half of Peter 'n' Chris (two of the best writers and performers I have ever seen). The writing and performances in this show are also fantastically creative, imaginative, and very amusing. From Toronto, I hope the company comes back to Vancouver often. Grab some friends and get your tickets now before it sells out. This is one of the best comedies in this year's Fringe. Highly recommended! -Jim MacDonald |