REVIEW: OSTRICH PARK

Age Suitability: Parental Guidance (ages 13+)

Genre: Theatre—Comedy, Puppetry

Run Time: 60 mins

Venue: Hamilton Theatre Inc

The Plot Hole Company, the unhinged minds behind The Container and The Green Room (both audience favourites from previous Fringe Festivals), brings another comedic hit to the Hamilton Fringe with Ostrich Park.

Sparing no expense, it’s exactly what you think it is: the 1993 blockbuster Jurassic Park but with ostriches. If that doesn’t immediately pique your interest, then perhaps the incredible talented ensemble of some of the GTA’s finest comedic talents will. Featuring James Allan as the avian expert and enthusiast, Brett Wolfe as the doomed game warden, Kyle Billie as the chaotician, Allison Dickey as the equally doomed, balding lawyer, Rob Mines as the bumbling, billionaire owner and Matt Moore as one of the psychotic, feathered villains. The entire ensemble is hilarious and deeply committed which helps elevate this already brilliant parody.

The set pieces are branded with the Ostrich Park logo and the homages to famous scenes from the film are cleverly recreated. The writing from Allan almost verges on being too close to the original film’s screenplay but has just enough changes to keep them in the clear. There’s plenty of pop culture references thrown in as well from The Island of Doctor Moreau, Blade Runner, Evil Dead and even Aliens. The transitions are snappy, the costumes are impeccable and the puppetry had Friday night’s audiences laughing and applauding with nearly every scene change.

Destined to be an audience favourite once again, this is easily the best work I’ve seen from this company yet. Get your tickets, gear up and enter a world where ostriches plan to rule the world… don’t miss it!