Stage

Dublin Fringe reviews: Fan Fiction Comedy and Finem Respice

Three Irish comedians create their own versions of Harry Potter; Vickey Curtis tells a raw and painful story

Vickey Curtis, Finem Respice

Sara Keating's face
Sara Keating
Fri Sep 23 2016 - 12:30

Fan Fiction Comedy ★★★★
Smock Alley Theatre, Main Space
To enjoy Fan Fiction Comedy you need to be, well, a fan. The evening's entertainment is dedicated to creating stories "based on other people's intellectual property": on the instance of my viewing, Harry Potter. If you weren't versed in various patronus or plot points, you would probably be more than mystified.

Harry Potter is a particularly fertile source of fan fiction: there are more than 748,000 spin-off tales on fanfiction.com, the central compilation site. Compered by Kiwi comedians Heidi O’Loughlin and Stephen Boyce, the evening offers three Irish comedians the opportunity to create their own versions.

In his brilliantly detailed story, George Fox injects a bit of sardonic reality into the magical realm, Alison Spittle replaces the sexual references in a dirty rap song with the word 'wand', while Heber Hanly rewrites a scene from the film of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, ensuring everyone on stage gets a part and a few volunteer audience members too.

Kiwi comedians Heidi O’Loughlin and Stephen Boyce from Fan Fiction Comedy

Overall, it's great fun, but it is a pity the Ravenclaws, Hufflepuffs and Griffendors in the audience didn't get a chance to contribute more.
Ends Sept 23rd with Fan Fiction Comedy: Game of Thrones.
Sara Keating

READ MORE

Finem Respice ★★★
Smock Alley Theatre, Boys School
Vickey Curtis walks on stage displaying objects from an office box: a green jumper, a watch, a book of epigraphs, a bottle of whiskey; items that evoke the memory of those she loved; items that reconnect her with her grief. Finem Respice narrates a personal journey through death and mourning. Sorrow, as CS Lewis wrote, "needs not a map but a history".

Curtis' story is a raw and painful one. She lost her mother to cancer weeks after she finished secondary school and spent 10 years searching for healing. Just as she found it, she discovers the body of her friend and surrogate mother, who committed suicide at the home they shared. Curtis recalls her emotional trauma in language that avoids all poetic description or easy cliche. Despite excellent sound, lighting and graphic design, however, Finem Respice remains more of a personal than a theatrical journey. But as Curtis acknowledges, the map of grief may be the same but the paths negotiated are always different.
Until Sept 24th
Sara Keating

-The Tiger Dublin Fringe ends September 24th. See fringefest.com More reviews at irishtimes.com/culture