395th Post - Only in Halifax

You don't see this in Des Moines!

I was walking to coffee this afternoon when I saw this guy across the street. He was wearing robes and had long hair. "Jesus Christ!", I said. My boss, Kevin, asked me not to swear. "No", I said. "That's a guy dressed like Jesus Christ!" Kevin agreed.

Saw the Buddha guy later. They were kind enough to pose for the above picture.

This is all my way of saying that the Atlantic Fringe Festival started up today in Halifax. It is all about plays and theatrical performances. The above guys are part of Jesus and Buddha at Play at the Khyber Theatre on Barrington Street.


A number of years ago, Patricia and I attended a fringe performance at a former movie theatre, a place that has since been changed into a Mountain Equipment Co-Op store as well as a satellite office to the Nova Scotia Community College. It was ok. These are at best semi-professional actors and writers and directors. The joy in seeing this stuff is in what might happen on that stage, and seeing these people learn their craft.

There is the old adage of their being a big difference between knowing what the rules are and breaking them; and not knowing what the rules are and breaking them. All too often, the latter applies much more than the former. That is not always a bad thing, not when one usually learns more from his mistakes than from what he does right.

I am not saying that the guys who play Jesus and Buddha don't know what they're doing. They were nice to enough to pose for me. Their play is probably great fun and may even have something to say about religion and peaceful co-existence. I just know that when I attend a fringe festival production, not to expect a lot. I am, therefore, rarely disappointed.

More later.

Bevboy