THE DIVINE HERETIC
There are some striking visual tableaux in this well-designed and expensive(11 actors) musical about the mother of Joan of Arc, but the script is vague and confusing(a narrator is clearly needed), and the songs an endless series of derivative weepy ballads that need stronger contextualization. Some good talent onstage, largely wasted in an earnest, pretentious mess. NN (GS)
FRINGE SHOW: A LOVE STORY
Bruce Horak and Ryan Gladstone energetically and entertaining take us through all the cliches and
conventions of touring with a National Fringe show. Sometimes the performers are a bit too clever in their post-modernism - call them the Charlie Kaufmans of the Fringe circuit. But for frequent Fringers(performers or audience members), this impeccably staged show will ring true. As a bonus, one of the best climaxes in a Fringe show this year. NNNN (GS)
LIMINAL
This well-meaning look at two lonely people trapped in their lives who fail to connect is gently poetic, but it lacks surprise. The duo give spirited performances, but they're less certain with the dance movements they're frequently - and awkwardly - asked to execute to show their inner lives. NN (GS)
THE ADVENTURES OF JOSEPH ANDREWS
A big disappointment. A mostly strong ensemble tackles this long adaptation of Fielding's satiric novel, but to what end? There's too much headache-inducing narration, and much of the humour is forced - we're nudged into laughing. NN (GS)
IT'S NOT WHAT YOU THINK
These two short unpretentious plays - one about roommates who both go on humiliating auditions, the other about modern relationships - are probably paired because of their O. Henry-like twists. There are strong moments in both, but the scripts need tightening. NN (GS)
= Critics'' pick (highly recommended)