Fringe Reviews: Fonderie Darling

Since I can’t go as much in depth as usual in my reviews due to the ridiculous number of shows in the Fringe, I decided that I would cheapen the hard work put into all the shows by giving them star ratings. Here’s how I figure it’s gonna go:

***** Worth more than the money
**** Worth the money
*** If it was free
** Not even if it was free
* Not even if they paid you

So let’s get on with it… I started my Fringe experience by taking in the shows from the most “off” of all the off venues at the Fringe, all the way in the Old Port, the Fonderie Darling (745 Ottawa). I wanted to get that out of the way given that one of the works is already coming to and end tonight (Saturday), so make sure to check it out if it interests you.

La Fonte des Corps, Co/Motion ****
Emerging out of the Concordia Dance Department, the Co/Motion collective strives to take 5 works by 6 choreographers and shape them into a cohesive one-hour show. Once again, I was surprised to see how Concordia students have abandoned their theatrics to offer us a rather pure, fluid style that often focuses on lines. I was especially impressed with Véronique Gaudreau’s Réaction cutanée, a duo where a man and a woman look like they want to connect, but refuse to admit it or let it show. Even when they reach for the other, they look like they are pulling away. The ambivalence of their movement is fascinating to watch. The evening ends with strength in numbers with Allison Nichol’s Actually Dangerous, a work for 7 dancers that touchingly fades out on this woman who refuses to let herself be picked back up. Another strong series of works from the Concordia crib.

Last representation tonight, Saturday June 9, at 8pm. General admission 9$, 8$ for students and seniors.

Anesthésie Locale, The Anaethetic Collective ****
I was too cheap to buy the program for this show, so you’ll have to bear with me if I don’t give credit where credit is due. The opening work is a witty duo for two women who are completely dependent on one another, whether they are carrying each other across the stage or being antagonistic. The following number is a guest spot by Steve Bolton & Ladybox. Their high-energy hip hop antics for 8 dancers aims for speed, but ultimately leaves us on our appetite, basically being over before it even starts. The last work, la pièce de résistance, finds 5 dancers moving from contemporary dance to breakdance, that is when they are not skillfully intermingling the two. This piece is especially worth seeing to witness who I consider to be two of the best dancers out of Concordia (I’ll let you figure out which ones they are). Seule ombre au tableau, the choreography is wrapped around in an unnecessary, corny narrative. Also, be warned that there are significant breaks between each work, so that the evening lasts for over 2 hours.

Anesthésie Locale plays again tonight, Saturday June 9 at 10pm, and again next week Saturday June 16 at 10pm. Tickets are 9$.