Edmonton Journal Review, August 17 2007

// August 29th, 2007 // No Comments » // Reviews

Canadian Hypocrisy the butt of duo’s wit

* * * * (out of 5)

The Churchill Protocol, from Ottawa’s Gruppo Rubato, is one of those productions you can’t always count on finding at the Fringe. To wit: a new and topical pocket Canuck satire with a Strangelove-ian conspiracy premise, outrageous characters, real actors, sharp direction, and a sting.

It also has a goat. Two really, but I don’t want to give away too much. The black comedy, by the team of Patrick Gauthier and Kris Joseph, takes us deep into the heart of our national ambivalence and waffling hypocrisy about all things military.

At the polar bear detention centre in Churchill, Man., mysterious military cargo flights have been arriving from Afghanistan laden with live freight. An ambitious Globe reporter (Gauthier) is sniffing around, convinced he’s on the edge of an explosive, career-making scoop about the secret imprisonment and torture of terrorist detainees. That’s why he’s having a clandestine meeting with the outpost colonel (Joseph, in a performance of riotous bombast and mania). The latter, incidentally, has invented several secret weapons, including a ray gun with digestive repercussions and an ingenious new way of felling the enemy using his mind, sure to appeal to squeamish Canucks tied to the hackneyed old myth that we are a peacekeeping nation.

“We can actually have warfare without war!” proclaims the Colonel triumphantly. “We can actually have the kind of military we think we already have.”

There is a mystery here, and a mysterious crate, and some well-aimed barbs at a sanctimonious country where people are too morally lethargic to vote. And the subject of goats just keeps coming up as the plot twists suspensively away.

Funny, furious and smart.

VUE Magazine Review, August 23, 2007

// August 29th, 2007 // No Comments » // Reviews

Originally published in VUE Weekly Magazine on August 23, 2007:

Mixing charmingly silly absurdity with timely (if slightly thick) political observation, this play from Ottawa duo Patrick Gauthier and Kris Joseph is almost note-perfect Fringe fare. Gauthier brings the right mixture of exasperation and desperate curiosity to his muckracking journalist, out to find out what perfectly stone-faced, utterly ridiculous colonel Joseph is hiding at a near-arctic military base. The politics aren’t nearly as subtle as the comedy, which causes a bit of lag, but there are more than enough laughs to leave you guffawing your way right through the down times. (DB)

Edmonton Sun Review

// August 29th, 2007 // No Comments » // Reviews

Originally published in the Edmonton Sun on August 17, 2007:

The Churchill Protocol is a paranoid military fantasy, a satire on Canada’s place on the world stage and a terrific acting duel between two fine performers.

The first few minutes don’t seem to be going anywhere and are tough sledding. But stick with it and the rewards are ample.

A Globe and Mail reporter thinks he is on the trail of a hot story.

There are reports from Churchill, Manitoba (the polar bear capital of Canada) that the Canadian military is ferrying in prisoners from Afghanistan.

The intrepid newshound tracks down one Col. Ronson who has obviously spent too much time in the north.The Captain is importing goats from Afghanistan. His premise is we are too dependent on the weapons makers and he will train the goats to go to war as soldiers under the Canadian flag.

Observes the demented Colonel, “Canada doesn’t have enough money for research and development.”

So he has come up with a made-in-Canada solution to the country’s problems.

He also thinks he can render himself invisible and is working on a piece of laxative artillery that will force the enemy into involuntary bowel movements.

The Churchill Protocol is a long, long shaggy dog story. It is really more of a skit and tends to sag in the middle.

The two actors, Patrick Gauthier and Kris Joseph, absolutely believe in their material, no matter how farfetched and ridiculous it seems, and deliver strong performances.

And there is an undercurrent of rather pointed social commentary.

- Colin McLean

Saskatoon Star Phoenix Review, August 6 2007

// August 8th, 2007 // Comments Off // Reviews

Originally published in the Saskatoon Star Phoenix on August 6, 2007:

RATING: ****

In the mind of slightly washed-up (and fictional) Globe and Mail reporter Neil Allen, a northern Manitoba polar bear compound is likely a cover-up for a secret Canadian military operation.

In what could be the hot story of the year, Allen is convinced the military is flying suspected terrorists from Afghanistan to the Churchill airport under the cover of darkness, and performing secret weapons technology experiments there. It’s enough to make peacekeeper-loving Canadians cringe.

But when the military hears of Allen’s suspicions, it has a plan. Soldiers invite Allen (Patrick Gauthier) up for an unforgettable tour of the facility to assuage his suspicions.

What follows is a snort-inducing two man show that plays like a series of old movie reels out of order.

The colonel in charge of the compound (Kris Joseph) is entirely batty. A typical reporting assignment for Allen evolves into insanity, including tin foil hats, a gun that liquefies enemy bowels and a soldier’s attempt to defy gravity by flapping his arms and wearing a really, really determined look.

As the colonel points out poignantly, what else is the Canadian military to do with a huge country packed with natural resources to protect and a budget a sliver the size of what the U.S. spends on defence?

The suspenseful and silly writing is great, and viewers will earnestly need to know, what are they doing with all those darned goats?

Joseph especially shines with his fearlessly loopy portrayal of the socially inept colonel.

Take the journey, if you can bend your mind around the ridiculousness, and discover the true aim of the Churchill Protocol.

– Janet French 

Uptown Magazine Review, July 26 2007

// July 27th, 2007 // Comments Off // Reviews

Originally printed in Winnipeg’s Uptown Magazine:

(editor’s note — beware of SERIOUS spoilers in this review!!) 

Don’t let the presence of a possibly paranoid schizophrenic attempting to telepathically kill Afghan goats in Churchill, Man., fool you. This is a serious story about the apathy of Canadians and our delusions about Canada’s role in the world. (Or maybe it’s just weird?) A secret military operation involving the shipment of live cargo from Afghanistan to Churchill gets a down-on-his-luck journalist searching for answers. Unfortunately for him, the answers are in the head of a stark, raving mad soldier. The cabin-fevered colonel is convinced he can fly, turn invisible, and basically use the force. Channeling Hunter S. Thompson, Family Guy’s Mayor West and your favorite local insaniac, Kris Joseph shines, playing the part as if he was born crazy. At times, this show can be too strange for its own good, but hey, it’s a fringe play.

(Reviewed by Jared Story)

Winnipeg Free Press Review, July 20, 2007

// July 20th, 2007 // Comments Off // Reviews

Originally published in the Winnipeg Free Press:

When the secret weapon of mass destruction is laxative-inducing artillery, you know you’re not dealing with a typical military intrigue story.

The Canadian army is secretly shipping live cargo from Afghanistan to a polar bear jail in Churchill, and a Globe and Mail reporter thinks he’s found the scoop of his career. It appears Canada may be building its own prison in the north and secretly torturing Afghanee detainees far from prying eyes…

But the truth is way more crazy than anyone could guess in this surreal and very wacky dark comedy from Ottawa troupe Gruppo Rubato, who brought the hit comedy PygM@Ilion to the 2004 Winnipeg Fringe.

Written and performed by Patrick Gauthier and Kris Joseph under the direction of Natalie Joy Quesnel, this satiric take on military conspiracy is inspired by Jon Ronson’s book The Men Who Stare At Goats.

Both actors deliver stellar performances: Joseph as the crazy-eyed army colonel who becomes increasingly maniacal, and Gauthier as his foil, an intrepid and impatient reporter. However, the 60-minute comedy does slow down when the sparring between the pair goes on for too long and with too few laughs. But overall, this is a smart comedy with an absurdist twist.

– Cheryl Binning

Winnipeg Sun Review, July 20 2007

// July 20th, 2007 // Comments Off // Reviews

Originally published July 20, 2007, in the Winnipeg Sun:

The Canadian military is up to no good, secretly shipping living, breathing cargo from Afghanistan to Churchill (Go Manitoba!), and an over-eager Globe and Mail reporter is this close to blowing the whole thing wide open. While the plot is good and the writing is smart, it’s the character the reporter meets up with in Churchill — the instantly lovable Col. Ronson — who steals the show. Actor Kris Joseph, whom American Pie fans may or may not be impressed to learn looks just like Chris Klein, makes the colonel hilarious and lively, with brilliant facial expressions and a style of speech reminiscent of the great Mr. Peterman from Seinfeld. The colonel and the reporter keep the audience guessing until the end what exactly is going on up in Churchill — but whatever it is, they know right from the start that it’ll be fun finding out.

Sun Rating: 4 1/2 out of 5

CBC Manitoba Review, July 18 2007

// July 18th, 2007 // Comments Off // Reviews

Originally posted on the CBC’s Winnipeg Fringe site:

Reviewed at the Toronto Fringe (July 4-15)

A newspaper reporter, a slightly-off colonel, dead goats, and Churchill, Manitoba. Turns out these are the ingredients for an hour of very sharp (and absolutely weird) comedy of military intrigue and conspiracy. Inspired by Jon Ronson’s excellent book The Men Who Stare At Goats, this show patiently reveals a secret military operation involving transporting live cargo to Churchill from Afghanistan. But it’s not what you think… and if I said any more, I’d ruin the show’s sometimes plodding, but careful, reveal. Under sharp direction by Natalie Quesnel, performers/co-writers Patrick Gauthier and Kris Joseph milk the most out of their characters. Joseph’s military man is all crazy-eyed intensity, but played with enough conviction to be just barely believable; Gauthier’s journalist, desperately trying to unravel the conspiracy, is stuck as the straight man, but provides an appropriate foil to the colonel’s eccentricity. The Churchill Protocol is twisted, funny, and compelling dark comedy – pure Fringe.

CBC Rating: Four Bars

Reviewed by: Joff Schmidt

Suite101 Review, July 14 2007

// July 15th, 2007 // No Comments » // Reviews

Originally published on Suite101.com:

The Churchill Protocol

A gem at the Toronto Fringe

© Mike Mackenzie

Jul 14, 2007

There are few times during the Fringe (or at any theatre, for that matter) that you encounter a show that is not only funny, smart and interesting and makes you think.

The Churchill Protocol challenges you to open your mind to other possibilities – not just what you see in front of you.

At any Fringe festival, you are likely to see a show that has one or more of those qualities, but few can be proud of being all of those, wrapped into one production. The Churchill Protocol, which many (including this writer) consider the sleeper hit of this year’s edition of the Toronto Fringe, is one of those shows.

Conceived, written and performed by Kris Joseph and Patrick Gauthier, The Churchill Protocol won Best In Venue at the Ottawa Fringe Festival this year, and is no doubt going to be a hit as it travels across Canada, taking part in the Winnipeg, Saskatoon, Edmonton and Vancouver Fringe Festivals before they get to head home, back to Ottawa.

The Churchill Protocol tells the story of a journalist from the Globe & Mail who embarks on a journey to Churchill, Manitoba, to research a story involving the Canadian military flying cargo planes back from Afghanistan to the northern Alberta city. What he discovers though is that the cargo is in fact, live, and a top-secret operation headed up by a Colonel from the Canadian army.

To divulge any further details of the plot would ruin the surprise and some of the best moments of the piece.

The strengths of this production lie in the performances and in the script.

Kris Joseph, who plays the mad-cap Colonel, is one of the most interesting characters that this reviewer has seen on stage. Part J. Peterman, part General Patton, Joseph commands the stage with his presence, his booming voice, and his slick comedic timing. His counterpart, played by Patrick Gauthier, is just as much his equal. While he may not have as many funny moments as Joseph, it doesn’t matter. Gauthier brings a unique and interesting flavour to the show, and it balances out with his co-star.

The script is tight and concise, and it raises some interesting questions for the audience. We are all (or should be) aware of the state of the Canadian army and the role that they play in various conflicts around the world – yet the ideas presented in The Churchill Protocol are not so far fetched by Canadian army standards. It’s sad, but it’s true.

Natalie Joy Quesnel helmed the production, and it was designed by Sarah Feely.

My only regret is that I didn’t see the show earlier – it was one of the best Fringe shows that I have seen in the many years of attending. Great script, great performances, who could ask for anything more?

****1/2 (out of five)

NOW Toronto Review, July 12 2007

// July 12th, 2007 // Comments Off // Reviews

From NOW Toronto Magazine, July 12, 2007:

A reporter visits Churchill, Manitoba, for an exclusive about a secret military operation that has nothing to do with the polar bears for which the town is known, but rather is related to covert flights from Afghanistan. Writer/actors Patrick Gauthier as the keen reporter and Kris Joseph keep us intrigued for most of the show. Under director Natalie Joy Quesnel, the performances, especially Joseph’s as an increasingly maniacal colonel, are sharp and riveting.