SEE Magazine
Copyright © 1998. All Rights Reserved.


ON STAGE
BY SAM DEARHEART

PREVIEW
Women in Comedy
directed by Andrea House
July 11 , the Maclab Theatre, in the Citadel

In 1991, Kate the Great and Pamela Anthony wanted to profile the brilliant and comedic women that were performing locally and internationally. Thus Women In Comedy was born The first show was held at the Garneau Theatre and it sold out before opening. The message was clear - there was a tremendous audience for this kind of show.

Now seven years later, it's an even bigger success, a testament to the popularity of the comedic talents of an historically under-represented portion of the population. Says Anthony, producer of the event, "Give the people what they want. That's my theory."

The bulk of the talent comes from the participants in the Edmonton International Street Performers Festival. They have about 48 hours to put the show together, meeting for the first time after the Feast of Fools, the festival fund-raiser at the Sheraton on Thursday, July 9. They get together around midnight on Thursday night and they open the show at 8 p.m. on Saturday. While they do portions of work they have done before, there's a lot of spontaneity too. Says Anthony,"We encourage the cast to have a comedic romp out there."

It's fun for the performers and translates into a very fun show for the audience. In most comedy clubs, an emcee and a "middler" perform before the headliner - in part to warm up the room so the audience is more inclined to let their giggles escape. But another distinctive thing about Women in Comedy seems to be that the room is not cold. The audience arrives prepped.

"I think that one of the things that is most special about Women In Comedy is the audience. They keep coming back," Anthony said. "I think there are women who want to see humor from a woman's point of view. Women seem hungry for it. They bring their husbands and they seem to be hungry for it too. With a nice full house and that beautiful stage, the audience is ready when they get there and that has a galvanizing effect on the performers. The cast is still obliged to entertain the folks - that doesn't change, but there's an extraordinary response to this work. And it's only ten dollars! I mean where else can you have that much fun for ten bucks these days?"

In addition to the internationals who are gleaned from Street Performers, there are also some local favorites who grace the stage at the Maclab Theatre, such as this year's director Andrea House and honorary Woman in Comedy Darrin Hagen. House is well known as an actor in Fringe plays. We have seen her at fund-raisers and cabarets, Die Nasty and Catalyst's Fourplay.

"She has a really broad base in the brilliant 'instant theatre' that Edmonton is so renowned for. She has made me laugh so hard on stage and that's the sure-fire way to win my heart!" Anthony said.

As for Hagen, who among us has not experienced his wit, candor, bravado and pure talent?

There are actually more women in the cast this year than ever before - featuring everything from stand-up comedy to a cowgirl doing rope tricks.

The lineup also includes Zandra Bell, Christine Cook from Green Fools Performance Troupe in Calgary, and Patti Stiles will make a guest appearance. Stiles is a fabulous actor/improviser and former artistic director of Rapid Fire Theatre. She has directed and performed in many Fringe shows and is a valued part of the Edmonton theatre community. Anthony is open in her admiration for her. "Patti can romp all over this stage any time she wants. She's fresh as a daisy but she's been around forever!"

The exuberant producer of Women in Comedy is very excited about the show this year. "The whole cast is fabulous. I know some of the talents and know that they will just kill. And while some of the performers are going to be a complete surprise to me, Dick Finkel books fabulous women from hither and yon that I don't know anything about, but I know they will be just wonderful. He has become very proactive in booking women for the festival and that is of course a direct benefit to Women In Comedy. I just think it's an interesting concept to spotlight a group of people in any festival cast and it's certainly been successful for us."

Of course every job has it drawbacks and organizing this exciting event is no exception. Said Anthony, "I have the unenviable job of turning people away each year because we are full, so buy your tickets early - especially if you are going as a group. Tix can be had by calling the Street Performers Festival office at 425-5162 or Ticketmaster. You can even try coming early to the show but be forewarned - it does sell out."

This show is dedicated to the memory of Charlotte Finkel, who was not only very witty herself, but was also a big supporter of women in comedy. She just loved the idea that women were having so much fun. Charlotte suffered from osteoporosis and in her name, this year's sponsors will be collecting money for the Osteoporosis Society.


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