Update [September 20, 2010]:
“Dr. Horrible…” wins the National Pick of the Fringe and will be shown twice more!
Waterfront Theatre
Thursday Sept 23, 7:15 pm
Sunday Sept 26, 10:00 pm
Not being a theatre connoisseur, the first thing I judged about “Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog,” created by Joss Whedon of “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” was the rowdy audience. I could imagine each theatre-goer brushing up on their Whedon, perhaps watching the Buffy musical, before excitedly making their way to the Firehall Arts Centre.
Relephant Theatre poured the satire on before the play even began, first performing a number about a cell phone game (the moral: please turn off your phones, audience). Another pre-play skit poked fun at racial stereotypes in verses about the lone Asian cast member going backstage to do math and play the violin.
And then, the play began. The tragicomedy was as absurd as a valley girl fighting vampires. Whedon’s voice, rife with irony and self-awareness (epitomized by Dr. Horrible’s classic line, “Wow, sarcasm – that’s original”) is undeniable throughout.
Dr. Horrible is a nerdy misfit who also happens to be a maniacal genius that cannot seem to reach his ultimate goal of induction into the “Evil League of Evil.” But as the action unfolds, he falls in love with Penny, an innocent philanthropist. Both roles are emphatically portrayed by Jon Lachlan Stewart and Christina Hardie, respectively. Their fervour is balanced by a third character – the cool, calm and self-involved Captain Hammer (played by Shane Snow) who wants Penny, and the glory, for himself.
All three actors knew how to deliver lines with perfect comedic timing, making the original dialogue sparkle. I walked away from “Dr. Horrible…” with the same feeling I had after watching “Buffy: The Musical” – let’s see it again. Right now.
Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog
Part of the Vancouver International Fringe Festival
Firehall Arts Centre
Remaining Performances:
Friday Sept 17, 7:00 pm
Friday Sept 17, 9:00 pm
Saturday Sept 18, 2:00 pm
Saturday Sept 18, 9:00 pm
Sunday Sept 19, 9:00 pm