Fringe Review: Good Grief
- Septimus & Carmunist
- Aug 23, 2024
- 2 min read
Dates: Aug 21, 2024 - Sep 1, 2024
Location: Baumann Centre – Fringe Venue 3
Performer: James Gangl (Toronto, ON)
Duration: 60 mins
Rating: Ages 16+
Genre: Dramedy, Storytelling, Spoken Word
Review by Septimus & Carmunist
⭐⭐⭐
James Gangl had great stage presence at the Fringe Preview event, which is what convinced us to see his show. Good Grief is an often humourous account of Gangl's relationship with his parents, his father's death, and his experiences with childhood sexual abuse.
Some of Gangl's opening jokes didn't land, perhaps because of timing or just the audience's collective mood, and this seemed to throw him off for a bit, but he eventually hit his stride and had the room cracking up. By the end of the show, it felt like the audience had come together with that delightful rawness and intimacy that makes the Fringe so special. We had shared in laughter as well as in Gangl's touching journey.
This show will appeal to anyone who enjoyed his last Victoria appearance, In Search of Cruise Control, as well anyone who loves vulnerable storytelling. And fart jokes!
Workshop notes
There were some fumbled lines throughout the performance, but this was likely down to opening night jitters. With a bit of ironing, the show could be more immersive, which in turn would have helped more of Gangl's jokes land.
In terms of emotional draw, we weren't always as engaged as we could have been, mostly because the characters (apart from James himself) didn't really come to life. By the end, we still didn't feel like we had come to know his mother, father, or siblings.
Keep in mind, James Gangl's In Search of Cruise Control won Best Dramedy at the Victoria Fringe in 2022, so if you are looking for something else to catch this Fringe, you might consider Good Grief.
Get your tickets here.
The Victoria Fringe Festival, presented by Intrepid Theatre since 1986, has become a cornerstone of the city’s arts scene, known for its unjuried, anything-goes approach to performance. For Carmunist and Septimus, Fringe is the highlight of the year. We’ve been involved as volunteers for more than a decade, and more recently, we’ve opened our home to performers as billets. Reviewing Fringe shows is something we’ve talked about for some time, and now we’re putting our experience as fiction editors and theatre stans to work, offering our thoughts and workshop notes for as many performances as we can attend.
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