Monday Magazine's guide to what's happening at North America's longest running solo performance festival.
Just because it’s called Uno Fest, doesn’t mean it’s one-dimensional— or about a card game we played as children.
Intrepid Theatre is hosting their 14th annual solo-performance festival May 19 to 29, and there’s a lot in store: this year’s line up includes 13 mainstage shows, featuring international monologue royalty like Mike Daisey and British comedian Chris Gibb as well as local spoken word sovereign Missy Peters and Fringe favourite TJ Dawe.
“This year we even have a two-act one person play, which is something we thought we would never do,” says festival producer, Janet Munsil.
Deck: How I Instigated Then Overcame an Existential Crisis Through Home Improvement by Lucas Myers is a two hour comedy with an intermission. “Not only can this one performer hold attention for two hours, it’s a really solid play,” Munsil says.
Uno Fest will feature workshops for professionals and the public, including Grounding the Body: Creating a Dynamic Performance with instructor Celia McBride (Sunday May 29, 1-4 p.m., Intrepid Theatre Club (1609 Blanshard), and Solo Show Intensive with Nicolle Nattrass, a look at the fundamental elements of a solo show (Sunday May 29, 10 am to 5 pm, Metro Studio, 1411 Quadra)
Monobrow, a solo slam competition where monologists battle it out for performance supremacy always entertains and often sells out, as does Uno Works — a series of four works in progress from B.C. that are all entry-by-donation. This year’s festival even includes a screening of And Everything Is Gone Wrong, Steven Soderbergh’s documentary on famous monologist Spalding Gray at UVic’s Cinecenta.
New this year, a free iPhone app is available trough the app store on iTunes. “You can get the whole schedule, show descriptions, and an interactive calendar. You can even order tickets through the app,” says Munsil.
Some shows are one night only, others run up to three times, and many opening nights are pay-what-you-can. “We want to make sure it’s accessible to anyone that has an interest in solo performance. How much money they have shouldn’t bare in their decision making,” Munsil said.
Tickets are $16 each ($17 in advance) and five-show passes are $65.
Uno Fest is North America’s longest running solo performance festival. Come be a part of what Mike Daisey calls a “small but dedicated” audience that is “versed in the traditions of solo performance” in Intrepid Theatre’s 25th anniversary year.