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by Adam Bailey & Kristin Mueller-Heaslip

Still Your Friend, Toronto Fringe Festival, Tarragon Theatre Solo Room, Toronto

July 5-15, 2018;

The Pearl Company, Hamilton Fringe Festival, Hamilton

July 19-29, 2018

The ABCs of Love is a ramshackle two-person variety show weakly combining music, clown and Dear Abby-style advice on love. It may be a late entry in this year’s Fringe, but co-star Adam Bailey is well-known here from several previous Fringe shows, like last year's The Life of Henri.

Bailey’s Adult Baby Cupid is just what you’d imagine – a husky guy naked except for an adult diaper and wings. He may lack a red nose but this is a clown persona as undisciplined as a baby and speaking what’s not supposed to be said. As the ancient god Eros in Greece, Cupid finds the 21st century boring in its political correctness and demands for consent. He’s tired of #MeToo complaints from men and women and wants to bring back old-fashioned romantic love. 

To bring him up to date is Kristin Mueller-Heaslip, who tries to censor views Cupid wants to express that may cause protests. Not only is Mueller-Heaslip a genial comedian adept at off-the-cuff remarks, but she has a lovely soprano voice. Her singing of piano arrangements of 20th-century pop hits is really more of a pleasure than Bailey’s all-over-the-place character.

Till you hear her you’d never know how good New Order’s “Bizarre Love Triangle” sounds as a classical art song.

©Christopher Hoile

Note: This review appeared in NOW Magazine on July 10, 2018.

Photo: Adam Bailey as Adult Baby Cupid. ©2018 Paul Fee Gunn.

For tickets, visit https://fringetoronto.com or http://hamiltonfringe.ca.