Reviews 2014
Reviews 2014
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by Kayla Milmine & Brian Abbott
Faster, Toronto Fringe Festival, St. Vladimir’s Theatre, Toronto
July 3-12, 2014
“There’s no pie in the sky / So just join the circus and die.” This is the refrain from one of the songs by the Montreal duo FASTER – but it might as well be the refrain for all of their songs. FASTER (Kayla Milmine and Brian Abbott) presents a nihilist cabaret act featuring a series of puppet play interludes and songs in styles ranging from Kurt Weill to reggae to punk rock. Individually, the songs are impressive and well performed especially by Milmine who sings in an uncanny Björk-like voice. The problem is that they all have the same punchline – life is pointless and we might as well be dead.
To lend the song cycle theatricality dancer Allison Burns gracefully acts out the lyrics. There is no question that all three performers are highly talented, but their strange unwillingness to develop their cheerless topic soon leads to boredom.
©Christopher Hoile
Note: A version of this review appeared in NOW Magazine 2014-07-10.
Photo: Kayla Milmine, Brian Abbott and Allison Burns. ©2014 Michael Kovacs.
For tickets, visit http://fringetoronto.com.
2014-07-10
FASTER presents: The Elephant in the Room