Natasha, Greg "Dishpig" Landucci, and I went to see Giant Invisible Robot at the Fringe today. I was pretty skeptical, judging by the title and the description in the Fringe program:

Giant Invisible Robot is complicated fellow, he fly on super science jet pack, destroy all building, everyone run and scream. No one want Robot. Sometimes Robot sit quiet, look at sky, catch bird and squish. No one understand Robot except friend Russel. But sometimes Robot want to squish Russel too.

Natasha talked me into it, saying that it "got great reviews" and "it's a metaphor". I love a metaphor, so I went, expecting foolish and zany hilarity.

Stupid robot play made me cry.

It was silly and funny. The sound effects, mostly created by Jayson McDonald himself, added a lot. There was a lot of verbal and physical comedy that totally cracked me up, including the beach towl-cape wearing Captain Victory, who excourages kids to stay in school, because "school is cool" ... unless, of course, you're going to be a professional skateboarder or rock star, and need all the time you can get to practice.

Jayson McDonald proved to be a great dramatic as well as comedic actor in the climax of the play where he explains to his therapist why Robot is "the only friend he had, and the only friend he needs". Natasha felt empathy for misunderstood Robot, who appeared for a monologue as two glowing red eyes and an echoing voice. The final scene, a flashback where Russell and Robot swear their friendship to each other over a game of pop-o-matic Candyland, finally reduced me to tears.

The only downfall was the horribly uncomfortable chairs in the Victoria School gym. As Natasha so eloquently phrased it, "I laughed ... I cried ... my ass hurts".

The last performance of Giant Invisible Robot in Saskatoon is at Venue 3 (Victoria School Gym) on Sunday, August 13th at 8:00pm.

I would strongly recommend this play, but:

DANGER, DANGER, SHANNON JOHNSON!!!.
(I know you are reading this, and if I cried ...)