Trip (MCM Productions) 2013 Toronto Fringe Review

 

Trip | Toronto Fringe

I will admit I was not looking forward to Trip by MCM Productions, which is playing at the Annex Theatre. After seeing this one man show the old proverb “don’t judge a book by its cover” immediately comes to mind.

Trip is composed of three short plays: Eris by Colin Mercer; B.Q. by Maureen Gualtieri; and A Very Long Obituary, by Leah Jane Esau. Each one is quite different from the other but all are connect through the element of death and the performer Colin Mercer.

As soon as I saw the orange pants, I was dreading the rest of the show, but as Eris said “this is the best story ever”. It turned out to be pretty darned good. In Eris, Mercer got to show off his rock star guitar skills by using his guitar as an integral part of the soundscape and the portrayal of the characters.

In a slight change of pace, B.Q. takes us into the future, 2044, and into the lives of a couple of young geneticists and their precious little boy. B.Q. showed off Mercer’s acting skills as he brilliantly and comically tackled at least six characters and a handful of monkeys. Unlike Eris, in B.Q. we got to see Mercer’s impeccable comedic timing.

A Very Long Obituary is all in its title. The third in the series and by far the most poignant. Completely different from the other two, this last piece asks Mercer to take on a much more reserved and quiet roll.  In Trip Mercer proved time and again that he is highly skilled performer, willing to tackle a great range of characters in one evening.

I would also like to acknowledge all the writers associated with this production. Each of the scripts was well developed and well written.  Accompanying these three scripts is a sharp show from the scene changes and the lighting to the performance. From the surface this may just look like your average fringe play but Trip is a diamond in the rough.

Details:

Trip is playing at the Annex Theatre (736 Bathurst St.)

Performances

July 08 05:00 PM
July 09 12:30 PM
July 10 09:15 PM
July 12 09:45 PM
July 13 11:00 PM

Tickets

  • Individual Fringe tickets are available at the door for $10 ($5 for FringeKids), cash only. Late comers will not be permitted.
  • Advance tickets are $11 ($9 + $2 service charge) are available online at fringetoronto.com, by phone at 416-966-1062 ext 1,  or in person during the festival at the Festival Box Office in the parking lot behind Honest Ed’s (581 Bloor St W).
  • Value packs are available if you plan to see at least 5 shows

Image of Trip provided by MCM Productions.