ONEymoon (A Honeymoon for One)

Tickets:

With ambiguous feelings about the institution of marriage and unwilling to commit to anything less than perfection, Caroline opts to re­invent a long standing social convention. The audience joins Caroline as her family and friends on her unusual wedding day and follow along on her beach vacation ­­ her honeymoon for one. Filled with zany wit, improv, dance and song, Caroline pokes holes in our notions of "wedded bliss" – but ultimately finds that even a long­term relationship with herself has its pitfalls.
ABOUT THE MOMENT OF INSPIRATION
“Like most people, I have had my share of relationship challenges. In January 2010, while packing for a restful trip to the Bahamas which my partner (and co­writer) Jimmy could not share, he joked that he felt like I was going on a "honeymoon for one". Out of that chance comment sprung the idea for ONEymoon: an exploration of the joys of independence and the fear of being alone; of the acute awareness of the imperfections of a partner, and even worse, of the imperfections of yourself.”
ABOUT ITS DEVELOPMENT
During the summer of 2010, this show toured Fringe Festivals in London, Toronto and Minnesota; with rewrites and staging improvements made between each engagement. By August 2010, the show had truly hit is stride at the Victoria Fringe Festival, where it played to sold out houses and rave reviews, AND earning an annual Critics Choice award nomination from Monday Magazine.
“This production – a celebration of independence and girl power – is an energetic, manic and hilarious tale full of obligatory audience participation...original music, rapping, inebriated cabana boy seduction and tap dancing. A masterful improviser, Bartelse is a bouncing ball of energy who clearly enjoys the spotlight. This one­derful and entertaining production is definitely worth checking out. “ Thandi Fletcher, 5 STARS, Victoria Times Colonist

Christel Bartelse (performer) A theatrical Jackie-of-all-trades, actor, singer, dancer, producer, writer, clown, teacher and
comedienne Christel is best known for her work in the physical comedy duo The Burnt Marshmallows alongside Christina Sicoli. Together they performed, created and produced the Canadian Comedy Award Nominated U-HAULYWOOD, and STUCK which had successful runs at both the Toronto & Vancouver Fringe Festivals. She can be seen performing comedy all over Toronto and is a regular feature at the Lunacy Cabaret (Zero Gravity Circus), the Toronto Festival of Clowns and Clown Chowder and she has also participated in the March of Dames, Cheap Queers, Buskerfest, the Hysteria Festival, Full Bawdy Comedy, and the Chicago Improv Festival. Favorite theatre credits include Pugg in Mump & Smoot in Something for the Westbury Theatre in Edmonton and Tifulbeau in The Hollow for CanStage. She recently wrote and performed in the highly acclaimed new sketch show The Orphan. A graduate of the Randolph Academy for the Performing Arts and The Second City Conservatory Program, Christel has also studied clown extensively with Michael Kennard, John Turner, Sue Morrison, Francine Cote and Philippe Gaulier. Christel was a faculty member at the Toronto Film School for five years, has taught intensively for the Second City Education Program and currently teaches physical comedy at Humber College. As a solo performer and writer, Christel garnered critical attention and audience affection for her recent single-hander CHAOTICA, which told the story of 30-something Alice, trapped in a board game. CHAOTICA premiered at the 2008 London Fringe, winning the Best-in-Venue Impresario Award and a nomination for the Brickenden Award for Outstanding Touring Production. It played Toronto twice, self-produced at The Theatre Centre and again by invitation at the Toronto Festival of Clowns

"Very funny show!" – Paula Citron, Globe & Mail
“True show business pizazz" – Jon Kaplan, NOW Magazine
“Pull(s) a story from deep within the heart and accessorize(s) it with resplendent layers of madcap” – Steve Berketo, torontstage.com
In Saskatoon, there were more positive reviews:
“Bartelse puts to good use her extensive physical theatre training …and showed a quick wit and an ease with improvisation” Cam Fuller – Star Pheonix
As a newcomer in Edmonton, Canada's largest and most competitive Fringe Festival,
Christel had sold out performances and received stellar reviews:

“Chaos has never been so enjoyable. – Colin MacLean, Edmonton Sun
“Human fireball Christel Bartelse brings high energy to this one-woman show”
− Jessica Earle, See Magazine In 2009, CHAOTICA was one of only 5 solo shows nominated for the Canadian Comedy Award

Jimmy Hogg (director/co-writer) is an actor, writer, director and comedian from the UK, now residing in Toronto. He studied Drama and Theatre Arts at Goldsmiths College, (University of London), Lecoq and Clown in Barcelona and Commedia dell’arte in France. He has worked on over fifty theatre
productions in varying capacities, more recently having focused on developing stand-up routines and his multiple award winning solo shows Curriculum Vitae (Best of Fringe Toronto, Minnesota, San Francisco), A Brief History of Petty Crime (Best of Fringe Winnipeg, Minnesota) and Like A
Virgin (Outstanding Comedy Award, Ottawa Fringe). His latest show Wisdom: Part I can be seen in Toronto Fringe this year. He is a columnist for toromagazine.com

Shawn Byfiled (tap choreography) Shawn received a Dora Mavor Moore Award for his dance choreography in the Toronto hit musical “I think I can”. A veteran of TV and film as a performer and choreographer he is currently CEO of Sugarfoot Entertainment, Director of the national tap ensemble Funk Factory and Co-Director of Thrive Entertainment. A leader in creating choreography for stage, television, film and corporate events, Shawn received a Gemini nomination for his work as the host of the variety show Toronto Dances. Shawn is a respected teacher, his students appearing in So
You Think You Can Dance: Next Generation, and performing with top music artists such as Brittany Spears, Robbie Williams, Aaron Carter, and Janet Jackson. www.ShawnByfield.com

Sarah Doucet (choreography) began her dance training with the Royal Winnipeg Ballet. At 19 she moved to Montréal, training with L’ADMMNI and Concordia University. She started her professional career in the mid 90’s with Tammy Forsythe/Tusket and in 1999 joined Lynda Gaudreau/Companie De Brune for 4 years of creation and international touring. Since then, Sarah has had the privilege of working with many noted choreographers, Jenn Goodwin, Karen KG Gutman, Ame Henderson, Thomas Hauert, Vera Mantero, Noam Gagnon and Noemie Lafrance, Isabelle Van Grimde (Corps Secrets), and Corpus, among others. In 2003, she joined The Holy Body Tattoo for the creation and touring of monumental work and continues to work with Dana Gingras (Holy Body Tattoo) and Animals Of Distinction. Sarah also works as an independent choreographer, rehearsal director and costume designer and has been presented in Belgium, New York, Vancouver, Montréal and Toronto.

Kathryn Rose (singer/sowngwriter) “One of my favourite singers in Canada" (According to Sarah Slean) ....“Canada's original bombshell" (According to Emm Gryner). Stepping back into the spotlight after having two babies in the past few years, Kathryn Rose has just released Something I Can Use a compilation from her 3 solo albums with new, live and reworked tracks. Very active in the Canadian music scene, Kathryn is known for her artful, cerebral brand of sexy-sad-funny cinematic pop and as one of
Canada’s top “go-to" voices in film, TV and radio. She has contributed to the albums of many other artists: Barenaked Ladies, Kevin Breit, Dan Bryk, Meryn Cadell, Change Of Heart, Damhnait Doyle, JD Fortune, Lennie Gallant, King Cobb Steelie, Kyp Harness, James Hill, Joel Kroeker, Sarah McLachlan (2004 world tour and live DVD), Oliver Schroer, Andy Stochansky, Ben Sures, Dave Wall, and an ongoing side project trio with Emilie-Claire Barlow and Melanie Doane. Kathryn is also a feature artist in a symphony pop concert series touring North
America. Please visit Kathryn at www.kathrynrose.com

"The show provides a showcase for Bartelse's many talents and an evening of laughs and memorable moments for the audience."

"...she captivates the audience with her genuine spunk, desperation and clear portrayal of a woman in search of self happiness."

"ONEymoon makes for an entertaining and thought-provoking hour."

5 Questions for ONEymoon

PREVIEW

"Very fuuny, good songs"

"Funny, clever, a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon"