PUSH’S GENERIC MALE DEBUT – VANCOUVER FRINGE
Rochester’s internationally renowned PUSH Physical Theatre will return to perform at Vancouver Fringe (July 19-30) with its multiple Award-winning Generic Male: Just What We Need, Another Show About Men to Waterfront Theatre for five performances. The one-hour show is rated 14 and up*.
Generic Male won Critic’s Choice and Fringe Crush at the Orlando Fringe Festival; Outstanding Overall Production, Volunteers’ Choice and Best in Venue two years in a row from Ottawa Fringe; and Media Pick from Edmonton Fringe Festival. Then, the masculinity satire went on to be one of only 14 Fringe productions in the world to receive the International Fringe Encore Series Award from NYC’s SoHo Playhouse, which led to the show’s first Off-Broadway run of eight performances this past December.
“What a journey we’ve been on since we began creating this show pre-pandemic,” exclaims PUSH Founding Artistic Co-Director Darren Stevenson, who – along with PUSH Creative Director Ashley Jones and a few audience volunteers – makes up the show’s entire cast. “We’ve performed this show more than 60 times now, but I still find myself stifling laughter during performances and even shedding a few tears with audience members in the lobby afterwards. It’s a rollercoaster ride every night.”
Like all of PUSH’s work, Generic Male started as an improvisation and progressed through years of refinement and audience input, even after its world premiere at the 2021 Rochester Fringe Festival
“Getting feedback from audiences is a very important part of our creative process,” explains Jones, who – like Stevenson – hails from the U.K., where physical theatre is much more prevalent. “Our entire process is collaborative rather than the more common practice of a choreographer ‘setting’ their work on a company.”
In addition to awards from every festival they performed in last year, both Stevenson and Jones were just awarded the 2023 “Fringe Crush” from the Orlando Fringe Festival.
“That just proves that life sometimes imitates satire. I feel sorry for Ashley — he has to look at my 50-year-old face every day and realize that Florida thinks he’s no better looking than me,” jokes Stevenson.
Humour is obviously a huge part of Generic Male, as its creators describe it: “It takes us into the beating heart of the failing patriarchy as it descends into acrobatic absurdity. Described by The Orlando Weekly as ‘Cirque du Soleil meets Samuel Beckett with a dash of Monty Python,’ you’ll laugh out loud, cry your ass off, bury those feelings deep inside and never speak of them again. Ugh…men.”
*From PUSH: “Can you bring kids? Probably. There are some swears and one awkward conversation about consent. If it were a movie, it would probably be a PG-13. The underlying message for boys and girls is positive and thoughtful. There will be lots to talk about on the ride home.”
Read the rave reviews:
Edmonton Journal: “Stevenson and co-star Ashley Jones have both the comedic chops to keep the laughter rolling through the plight of the Beckett-esque characters, and the pure athleticism to literally carry the show, and each other, on their backs.” (5 out of 5 stars)
CBC: “It tickles the funny-bone…”
apt613: “…exquisite actors and superb comedians…athletic and graceful…”
Orlando Weekly: “I can guarantee you’ve never seen [a] show as cleverly complex as Generic Male.”
WXXI/CITY Newspaper: “The generic male has been shattered. To a standing ovation.”
Orlando Sentinel: “This is the type of inventive, thought-provoking, relevant art the Fringe was made for.”
Jenny Review: “…exceptionally good comedy and a deep personal earnestness. The show earns every single one of its beats, from laughter to tears.”
CITY Newspaper: “Generic Male is presenting something profound that, judging by the audience’s standing ovation, we’re ready for.”
More about the performers:
Darren Stevenson (Founding Artistic Co-Director, PUSHer), born in England and now a U.S. citizen, co-founded and leads what has become a world-renowned physical theatre company. In addition to being the Season One finalist on TruTV’s national series Fake Off, PUSH has created many short works including “Red Ball,” developed at RIT’s NTID (National Institute for the Deaf) using iPad technology. Full-length works include DRACULA, Jekyll & Hyde and Arc of Ages, as well as choreography for two multi-media operas, Comala and No Se Culpe (Don’t Blame Anyone), the latter of which earned Darren the University of Rochester’s 2017 Lillian Fairchild Award. Other honors include the “Community of Color” Black History Month Anton Germano Dance Award, honoring advocates for an inclusive and diverse community who affect positive change. Darren has also spoken about PUSH’s unique creative process at TEDx Rochester.
Ashley Jones (PUSH Creative Director, PUSHer) is a physical actor, deviser, and director. He trained at Rose Bruford College and Academia Teatro Dimitri before going on to train with Phillipe Gaulier and Angela De Castro in theatrical clowning. Ashley has performed and trained with international theatre companies Gecko Physical Theatre, The David Glass Ensemble, Nonsuch Theatre, and Frantic Assembly. His recent devised work includes: LifeHack (2019), Intotheclouds (2018), The Party’s Over (2017), Eclipse (2017), and The Russian Play (2017). As a director, Ashley continues to develop and produce collaborative and inter-disciplinary work. Directing credits include Rite of Passage (2015, 2016), EnCircled (2019), and TILT (2019). Ashley would like to thank the generous support of the Genesee Valley Council on the Arts and Wilton’s Music Hall and Theatre Delicatessen.
