Thursday, September 04, 2008

Fringe Review: Totem Figures

Totem Figures
Havana Restaurant
Thursday, September 4 2008 8:00pm

T.J. Dawe is a fixture on the Fringe Festival circuit. This year's one man show is an autobiographical stream of consciousness about the everyday mythology of one's personal life, and the influential figures in his life. Dawe speaks fast and furiously jump cutting from his Catholic upbringing, his father, Jesus, Charles Bukowski, guitar music, Watership Down, how his parents named him, Luke Skywalker, his first Fringe tour, Bilbo Baggins, George Carlin, orphans.

Dawe crams a bit too much into this show. At a performance time of 1:45 it could have used some trimming and tightening. The most poignant stories are of the real figures like Bukowski, Carlin, and his father. The stories of the fictional characters felt like an unnecessary retelling which belaboured his point.

Funny and insightful but sometimes there can be too much of a good thing.

4/5

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