We're All Mad Here

Fringe Description: Weird · In Your Face · Shocking

The Fringe  schedule can be a challenging mad dash to find the right show in the right place at the right time, and sometimes leave one screaming “I’m late! I’m late! and I don’t even have a date!” I was in the Cultch and still trying to get a “Lovelash” out of my eye, when I realized that Ramshackle Theatre’s “We’re All Mad Here” was only 15 minutes later in time yet some unknown city blocks off in space. It’s a BYOV (Bring Your Venue). 

Luckily, my east-side elder sister, who knows where madness lives,  graciously offered to drive me to the next venue at 1000 Parker Street. She picked me up on Victoria & went down Venables and turned on a gravel road through the trees past the train tracks and towards some warehouses. There was no marquee, no red carpet, nor any signage whatsoever.

 Are we here yet? Is this the place?

 I looked out the car window and saw some blonde girl in a brown dress rambling down the rocky road and then I thought this must be the place. I discovered 12 people by the tanker cars awaiting a one-door-land. We were collectively led down the stoney alley through the graffiti-sprayed warehouses and given playing cards to wear around our necks. I got the seven of clubs. You can choose how involved you want to be by your number and colour.

And here's how it went, folks:

  • Squirt guns were issued to all - but no damage done.
  • Tweedle-Dee & Tweedle-Dum are the same guy.
  •  Searching for clues to find Alice.
  • The girl in the brown dress found a boot.
  • Multiple possible endings depending on the clues.
  •  A paper-boa’d Liza Minnelli cabaret come-hither-to Duchess of Prosciutto belts out B-52’s “Rock Lobster down down…”
  • White Knave Liar Imposter!
  •  Katherine Hepburn is the Queen of Hearts- but where’s Alice?
  • The blonde girl in the brown dress standing next to me in Wonderland.

After the show ended, the girl and I headed back to the Island together (on #22 Bus). She’s in “Macbeth” at the Cultural Lab.

By Don Foran