The resident ukulele band in the city of Edmonton, The Be Arthurs, has returned to the Fringe but this time they are singing their own tunes. After a successful run at the Fringe Festival last year where they covered tunes from female musicians and also where they made their debut with Carlos. The Be Arthurs band members Ryan Parker, Sheldon Elter, Bob Rasko, and Chris Bullough return with their miniature instruments and proportionally shrunken outfits.

They promised to provide a set of original Be Arthurs tunes and that they did with catchy ukulele tunes such as Beanpole, which introduced Chris, their newest band member. At one point the lyrics described his beanpole physique: “28″ waist, 28″ hips, 42″ inseam, and 12.5″….neck.” Their song content fit the sounds of their instruments well. They kept things light and fun rapping about our dependency on cell phones or singing about our acronym use in texting. Jingles were also interspersed throughout the show showcasing the marketing potential of their ukulele band. While their impromptu jingle for Leah, who sometimes enjoys drinking tea in the morning fizzled, they provided entertaining ones for some of their sponsors. Their sponsors helped to fund program production, which were free c.d.’s they handed out to their audience containing their music demos. What an ingenious program idea!

The Be Arthurs provide a fun, quirky, and refreshing show for Fringe audiences. Whether it is their schoolboy uniforms, miniature instruments, original tunes, or comedic inter-song banter, the audience will be guaranteed to leave the performance with a smile. It’s hard not to smile when you’re listening to the tiny twang of a ukulele.

Upcoming Performances:

Aug 22 @ 9 PM

Aug 23 @ 5 PM

Aug 24 @ 9 PM

Aug 25 @ 5 PM

Tickets are available from the Fringe Theatre Adventures Box Office and YegLive.ca

-miss. sable