Fringe in Sketch: I, PEASEBLOSSUM (Curio Theatre)

It seemed Brian McCann acted in every third production in the Philly area last season, giving a range of great performances. He was center stage to start this season, as Curio Theatre Company presented a family friendly Fringe show, I, PEASEBLOSSOM by Tim Crouch. Staged outside below a huge obelisk of Woodland Cemetery in West Philadelphia, I, PEASEBLOSSOM features McCann in a fat suit as a fairy from the pages of Shakespeare’s Midsummer Night’s Dream.

peaseblossommontage I, PEASEBLOSSOM was a great character study for me. I wanted to keep capturing the many sides of Brian McCann.

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I always enjoy sketching Curio Theatre because of its excellent productions and small stages. They are perfect size to create an imaginary world, and the medium is great for adapting into paintings. 

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McCann’s character appears as a kind of grounds keeper of the Woodlands cemetery. The neglected fairy is watching as humans fall in love, pointing out the flaws in our emotions. Interacting with the audience he asks “who is single?” “who is married?”To those married, he asks “why?”

peaseblossom6 Several times Peaseblossom announces that he can cannot move physically. He dreams and wakes up in another dream.

peaseblossom6Paul McCann provides live music, including a saxophone version of George Michael’s “Careless Whisper”, to accompany the loose narrative.

peaseblossom_the_endThe fairy watches over the match ups of  Shakespeare’s lovers, commenting on the unbelievable events that turn comedy into tragedy, or tragedy into comedy!

[Woodland Cemetery, 4000 Woodland Ave]. September 13-17, 2017; fringearts.com/event/i-peaseblossom

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