Anesti Danelis: This Show Will Change Your Life

Comedic songs for modern first-world problems

Harmatpreet Brar, staff

3.5/5 stars

Attending Anesti Danelis: This Show Will Change Your Life did not change my life. However, it did provide comedic relief via songs that affirm the utter ridiculousness of modern first-world problems.

Whether it is about dating, office culture or mental health, Anesti Danelis is well-versed in finding trendy concepts and uncovering a unique aspect of theirs. His distinct identity as a performer suffuses his delivery, which includes leaving his full-time architecture job and being from a large Greek household.

A notable moment is when he translates a Greek song that details perceiving everyone around you as a goat. Danelis briefly mentions that Greek songs are often metaphorical.

Then, he proceeds to emphasize the song’s direct translation as being peculiar. At the end of the song, he provides an unexpectedly profound realization.

Another quality that differentiates him is his vulgarity at times. I found it to be refreshing, but if you can’t handle crude fixations with sex (including “Anesti-Ds”), this show is not for you.

All in all, Danelis is a memorable comedian who interacts kindly with the crowd and is worth going to see. There are moments of overdone jokes, but they are still funny, so you can laugh while waiting for the next joke.

Showtimes and locations for Anesti Danelis: This Show Will Change Your Life are available at winnipegfringe.com/ performer-detail.aspx? kw=Anesti+Danelis.

Midnight

Wholesome ode to Taylor Swift

Harmatpreet Brar, staff

2.75/5 stars

Meraki Theatre Productions’ Midnight combines the classic fairy-tale formula with the tunes of Taylor Swift. Featuring a twist ending and a lively cast of teenagers, this show brings a smile to your face and leaves you singing long after leaving the venue’s campfire atmosphere.

Themes of self-love and finding your voice make this “Love Story” one to say yes to.

Here is a shoutout for keeping the girl’s glasses on after her major transformation!

I recommend the show to families searching for a wholesome message and Taylor Swift fans wanting to sing along and laugh with their friends. Highlights include the narrator August, the protagonist Ella and “Look What You Made Me Do,” as reimagined by Ella’s evil stepfamily.

But for the seasoned the- atre veteran, Midnight unfolds as less of a narrative and more of a Taylor Swift tribute. Sour notes were abundant, and emotional delivery could often be likened more to karaoke than to a developed expression of character.

Showtimes and locations for Midnight are available at winnipegfringe.com/ performer-detail.aspx? kw=Meraki+Theatre+ Productions.

Generic Male

Wholesome masculinity for acrobatic danceboys

Jessie Krahn, staff 4/5 stars

Generic Male is shaping up to be a favourite at this year’s Fringe Fest with audiences discussing it long after they have left the theatre.

The show defies description in some ways, resembling a meta-comedy complete with audience participation at some times and straying into an interpretive dance choreography at others. It is perhaps best approached for its thematic conceits, as Generic Male is a vulnerable expression of alternative ways to be masculine unyoked from the tired and destructive modes men are steeped in from childhood.

The show’s objective is unclear, though. After the end, the cast entreats audiences to recommend it to people who “need to” see it, but do not explain to what end this recommendation will carry new viewers. If Generic Male is meant to be didactic or morally educational, it might need to shed some of its abstractions.

Although some of its ideas have not fully gestated, Generic Male is an emotional collage of the anxieties and absurdities of manhood. Often touching, funny, tenderhearted, impressive and sincere, it embodies all qualities that evade less ambitious productions.

Showtimes and locations for Generic Male are available at winnipegfringe.com/performer-detail.aspx?kw= PUSH+Physical+Theatre.