THE SURPRISE Comes to Next Stage Festival

Four-time Canadian Comedy Award nominee Christel Bartelse brings her signature high-energy wit to The Next Stage Theatre Festival with The Surprise, her fifth solo show. Bartelse, as her clown Ginger, is throwing a surprise party -- and she needs help. Fortunately, that's where you come in. Literally! The Surprise is a hilariously inventive clown-based immersive experience that's guaranteed to keep you on the edge of your seat. Who's invited? Why, the audience, of course -- and they'll be in on the action. Who's the guest of honour? That's part of the surprise! What's the dessert situation? Fear not:

The Surprise is written and performed by Bartelse (Chaotica, ONEymoon, Significant Me, All KIDding Aside) and directed by legendary Dora Award winner Andy Massingham. And despite 15 years as a working performer, it's Bartelse's first full-length clown show. (And the only clown show in the festival!) "The Surprise explores the universal experience of celebrating a birthday," Bartelse explains, "as well as the fear we all have in making another trip around the sun, and the expectation of where we think we should be with every age."

4The Surprise is an original production that pulls inspiration from various influences, including Rebecca Northan's iconic Blind Date and Joseph Morpurgo's Hammerhead. "The show was originally conceived as a birthday gift to myself," Bartelese confesses. "And although my work has always been grounded in clown and physical theatre, I've never done a full clown show in Nose. So the excitement you'll see on stage will definitely be real!"

"Christel has a completely unique voice," notes Massingham, "and with this show, her clown is coming to grips with the idea of getting older - all while hilariously trying to control that which cannot be controlled. So why not throw a party?" The Surprise
Written and performed by Christel Bartelse
Directed by Andy Massingham
January 3 to 14, 2018
The Factory Theatre's Antechamber, 125 Bathurst St, Toronto
Tickets $10 at 416.966.1062, at https://fringetoronto.com/festivals/next-stage,
Or in person at the venue, one hour before showtime.

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