Toronto Fringe Festival

Greetings all,

I am a volunteer this year for the Toronto Fringe Festival. I've been seeing alot of shows these past few days and they have certain free shows for the volunteers as well as comps for the shifts that we do.

There is one play that is about some gay mother getting married. I didn't see it but frankly I am not interested in seeing anything about gays. I don't have a problem with gays but I am just so damn tired of the subject. I know in Canada, homosexuality has been decriminalized 40 years ago, which really isn't a long time. And sure there are still people who aren't comfortable with coming out but I think most people are progressive about this issue.

I'm just tired of some gays thinking it's a big deal to discuss gay issues. I don't know but I feel, like dude I get it your gay, let's move on!

I know in the USA, they are still quite backwards on this issue so maybe they should take the show there where it can generate some controversy.

I don't get the Pride festival either. I'm sure they feel great to declare their sexual orientation considering how repressed they have been but can we just move on already! You've got your civil rights already!

Now I didn't see that show but I'm just basing my opinion on the title and description. Maybe it's funny and interesting. Maybe it's not.

Another show I saw dealt with the topic of women's body issues and talked about plastic surgery, throwing up to maintain weight. This was another subject that I felt was done to death. The performer/writer mentioned at the end that there is a Q & A after the show to talk about this 'sensitive issue'. No offense but this was a sensitive issue back in the 90s (or maybe even earlier) when 90210 did some episode about this.

I just don't understand these writers/performers who take a topic that has been discussed to death and then claim their show is addressing a unique issue, when in reality they are tackling with an issue that has been in the media for decades.

Maybe it could work if things were done in a fresh and innovative way. But in this case, it was not.

Now I saw this show and thought it was super bland. I was glad at least that it was 40 minutes. Maybe the young woman putting on the show thought she was empowering women but I didn't think so. Not all women have body issues. Most people don't like themselves 100% and there is always something one wants to change but most people don't go to the extreme of having surgery, obsessing over diet and exercise and becoming anorexic or bulimic. Those extremes are a sign that the person is sick and has some major issues.

But most of all what was annoying was the show was put on by a skinny bitch. I really wonder what was her experience with this subject because she looks like she is one of those people who are naturally skinny. It's like hearing Paris Hilton talk about the struggles of being poor.