Since graduating university, Peter Carlone and Chris Wilson have dabbled in growing up and landing real jobs and now find themselves at the centre of a murder mystery, though thereB次元官网网址檚 not much of a mystery left to solve.
The narrator spoils the secret right off the top when he reveals the identity of the murderer in Peter NB次元官网网址� Chris and the Mystery at Hungry Heart Motel, the fourth show written and performed by Carlone and Wilson. The sketch comedy duo and Fringe stars were born of the University of Victoria theatre department in 2008 and have returned to their home turf to kick off the Phoenix TheatreB次元官网网址檚 2012-13 season.
The whodunit detective spoof is more stylized than their previous works and is less of a sketch show. B次元官网网址淲e do it in real Peter and Chris style, meaning the spookiness isnB次元官网网址檛 allowed to take over, mainly because Peter and Chris donB次元官网网址檛 get it,B次元官网网址� Carlone said.
The two 27 year olds met in acting class at UVic and began performing sketches at coffee houses and open mic nights around town. So far WilsonB次元官网网址檚 ability to mine any situation and conflate it until he finds the humour and CarloneB次元官网网址檚 desire to make everything explode, have been a fruitful pairing.
B次元官网网址淲e have a mix of these outrageous ideas and directions that things go, but at the same time itB次元官网网址檚 very rooted in common place. There are a lot of heightened characters and events that we definitely had fun creating, but thereB次元官网网址檚 also a chance to poke fun at things like all of the annoying things in a washroom, like the automatic taps not working.B次元官网网址�
Since graduating, Carlone and Wilson have relocated to Vancouver and won Pick of the Fringe Awards in Victoria, Vancouver and Edmonton, been nominated for a 2012 Comedy Network Canadian Comedy Award and toured North America.
Despite the accolades, the traditionally trained actor acknowledges a conundrum all comedic performers are faced with.
B次元官网网址淔or comedy and comedians to be who they are, they canB次元官网网址檛 be taken seriously, but conversely, I donB次元官网网址檛 think that theyB次元官网网址檙e taken seriously enough. YouB次元官网网址檙e not supposed to take them seriously, or even respect them that much because the whole point is to make people laugh and entertainment is the priority.
B次元官网网址淐omedians have an important role in art and culture, but if we started treating them like poet laureates and fancy people, then it would diminish how funny it is.B次元官网网址�
Peter NB次元官网网址� Chris and the Mystery at Hungry Heart Motel runs Oct. 11 to 20, 8 p.m. with a 2 p.m. matinee Oct. 20.
Season offering at Phoenix Theatre
Good Person of Setzuan
Nov. 8 to 24
Directed by Conrad Alexandrowicz.
Based on a Chinese parable, the Bertold Brecht play looks at being a good person in an immoral world B次元官网网址� a tale originally set in 19th century Setzuan that remains transferrable to a modern-day, North American Chinatown, Alexandrowicz said
B次元官网网址淚t could be anywhere. In a lot of ways weB次元官网网址檙e in one big world now. Love is worked into this as well. The fact that love blinds us to what we ought to do and makes us make bad decisions, itB次元官网网址檚 incredibly cleverly put together.B次元官网网址�
Reasons to be Pretty
Feb. 14 to 23
Directed by Christine Willes.
A recent import to Victoria since coming to pursue her M.F.A. in the department, Willes will be taking on the Neil LaBute piece, an examination of the modern obsession with external appearance told through four 20-something blue collar workers. ItB次元官网网址檚 also a play with great writing for women, Willes said.
B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 beauty with the kind of generosity that we all admire in human beings, like kindness and generosity and ethics,B次元官网网址� she added. B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e constantly reminded that somebody can be externally beautiful and not so nice on the inside.B次元官网网址�
YouB次元官网网址檙e a Good Man, Charlie Brown (Revised)
March 14 to 23
Directed by Fran Gebhard.
Gebhard and her students couldnB次元官网网址檛 be happier about closing the season with the Peanuts crew.
B次元官网网址淭he theatre department doesnB次元官网网址檛 do musicals often and the students are ecstatic,B次元官网网址� Gebhard said.
The show features an unusually musically-inclined cast.
B次元官网网址淚 donB次元官网网址檛 have to bring anything new to it. The characters are so iconic and the relationships, even though (they were formed) in the B次元官网网址�50s and B次元官网网址�60s, theyB次元官网网址檙e still the same with young kids. There are elements of bullying, confidence, being a part of a group, being excluded from a group B次元官网网址� having crushes B次元官网网址� all of the stuff we went through doesnB次元官网网址檛 change.B次元官网网址�
Tickets for all shows (except for Charlie Brown) range from $13 to $24, with $7 preview nights. Season subscriptions are $36 for three plays or $48 for four plays.
For more information to to phoenixtheatre.ca or call 250-721-8000.
