Yesterday I got tickets to a show at the Edmonton Fringe Festival and, based on local rumour mills, just could not pass up the chance to see the show.  Besides, the tickets were a birthday present. Who am I to say no to presents? Especially presents with exciting Browncoat related rumours attached. And presents that straddle multiple days. The show started on the evening of the 19th and ended in the wee hours of the morning on the 20th. I started my birthday with a bang this year.

We’d originally had plans to go out for wings and beer on Tuesday with P, W, & A – it was a weekly tradition that seemed to fall by the wayside over the summer – but hadn’t actually managed to determine the time and place to meet.  As I was walking in the door from work yesterday, Drew was on the phone.  Drew explained the Fringe situation and apparently the decision was made to put wings and beer night off for a week.

Drew continued to struggle with the garage door opener situation.  Today’s door opener turned out to be a model from another part of the globe.  Rather than using standard North American power plugs the power cord on this machine was a round two-pronged plug similar to those I used in India and the Philippines.  Guess that one will be boxed up and sent back as well.

After some veggin’ in the basement – ’twas stinkin’ hot again today – we headed to the Fringe to take in the sights.  We were lucky and easily found parking across from Drew’s Lodge.  I’m told that week nights just aren’t as busy as the weekends.  Worked out well for me since I’m not a huge fan of crowds and was pretty much all crowded out on Sunday.

Drew immediately found his way to a green onion cake vendor and I wandered aimlessly checking out the various artists. I did end up purchasing a print while I was there and may go back to check out the work of the spray paint artist before the end of the festival. Time sufficiently wasted, we entered the line up for the show. You know you’re dedicated when you enter the line-up over an hour before the show is scheduled to begin. While in line we met a local Browncoat, Bev, who is also a volunteer at the Fringe.

The show was awesome.  I love improv and some of the actors were just amazing at thinking on their feet.  I didn’t catch the names of most of them; you’ll have to forgive me for using descriptions of their characters instead.  The men who played Anderson Cooper and Juggling Castro were hilarious and the man (woman?) who was Mrs. Steele – a wheelchair bound antiquity with a mind as sharp as a bat – was just splendid.  Special mention goes out to the woman spoofing Nancy Grace and her continual bursts of song.  Of course we can’t forget the special guest star Captain Tightpants himself.  He’s got a wonderfully expressive face but, despite the shiny glow, was upstaged a number of times.  It definitely looked like he was having a ball – both on and off stage.

At the end of the evening we managed to catch Nathan on his way out the door and get out photo taken.  He’s quite the pro at holding the camera up and taking group portraits!

I’m old today but what a great way to start my birthday!

Apparently Alan T was there for the Monday night show.  I wish I’d known as I’d have loved to me him.  I just know in my bones he’d have been awesome to watch in an improv situation.

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