Fringer Feedback: Open Thread 2
Monday morning Fringe hangover in full flower. Second cup of coffee in progress.
So more later, both from me and from my other half. (We did some strategic splitting up over the weekend, the better to cover more Fringe bases.)
Meanwhile: Here’s where you get to tell us what you saw, what you liked, what you loathed.
Fire away.
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11:30 am
Saw Stone Goddess at Warehouse yesterday — completely riveting. It’s amazing what a cast can do with a fairly dense (sci-fi) script and no set, props or special costumes to color the show. The woman playing the AI was spectacular — it’s a 120 minute show but it didn’t feel like it. Very compelling with a great soundtrack to boot.
11:45 am
Saw Exfiles at Wooly Mammoth Melton Rehearsal Hall and enjoyed it. Excellent script with great pacing and a cast that reads like the awards list of Helen Hayes. Pathos relieved by comedy throughout, and the funniest PowerPoint presentation I’ve ever seen.
11:51 am
Eeeek, Ninja Motorcycle Babes–weak. I accept that Fringe is going to be full of irony comedy, but this was irony trying to have a message too. It’s badly written, poorly directed and never really committing to the style it seemed like it wanted to be. I felt bad for the actors. Sigh. But godblessem doing it. It smells like Fringe Spirit.
12:00 pm
I really enjoyed Lucifer’s temptations of Pabst and Popcorn yesterday. I sold my soul, along with Dr. Faustus, for the price of beer and snacks!
12:11 pm
If you’re into dry humor and love (or hate) reality t.v. … The Gillerds Show is hilarious.
12:31 pm
Of all the things I’ve seen so far (9 shows – or 11 if you count things that are on the “fringe of the Fringe”), I’d recommend seeing
Koun Kukki: The Legend of Hammachi and Unagi for reasons that will posted later, but mostly for the movement and polish of the production, and
The Neon Man and Me For the writing as well as the emotional honesty of the performance. And, hey, straight guys just don’t tell other straight guys that they love them nearly often enough — at least not without a couple of beers in them….
I picked these two from the 9 Fringe shows I’ve seen so far:
Carrie Potter at the Half Blood Prom
Cheating at Poker and Other Scams
Faggot
Koun Kukki: The Legend of Hammachi and Unagi
I U.S. (Paid for by the Dept. of Emotional Affairs)
Indigo, A Blues Opera
Naked Cabaret: Beyond Bare
The Neon Man and Me (http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/fringe/
index.php/2007/07/21/hip-shot-the-neon-man-and-me/)
Take Care, Ted
Oh, and I’ve also seen these two productions on the “fringe of the Fringe”, but they’ve gotten real reviews elsewhere….
Reefer Madness: The Musical
Pangs of the Messiah
12:33 pm
Saw Tehreema Mitha do some interesting things by stretching herself beyond the stringent rhythms and forms of bharata natyam, the south Indian classical temple dance. At Woolly. for the final piece, she removed her traditional garb, mussed her hair and played a cart-pushing homeless woman with a rant or two, along with a dance.
Not a new idea but a big risk for a classical bharata natyam dancer born and trained in Muslim Pakistan.
2:34 pm
Not much so far, though this week is quickly getting booked for us (onto 6 pack number 3). Yesterday’s picks:
Koun Kukki: the Legend of Hamachi and Unagi at Woolly. The Japanese elements are lovingly created and also turned on their heads. Some of the “straight play” segments could have used some pruning and pacing, or perhaps we just caught an off show – it sometimes felt like an improv group that was a little slow on the uptake. Definitely enjoyable, and worth the time. Be sure to get there early and stay until the very end for some pre- and post-show stage business.
Cautionary Tales… at Source. Also a good time. TheaterHound’s review on the earlier open thread is pretty spot on. Act Two (Trixie Tickles) is the stronger of the 2 pieces. The choreography for Act Two is especially ridiculous is a way that brought back my childhood in a disturbingly perfect way.
3:33 pm
Yesterday we saw two apartments and two Fringe shows, and squeezed in some Harry Potter.
Both apartments were nice, although as audience members we’re finding that our tastes run both to the extremely contemporary and the art deco, making it hard to pick a favorite. Also in general the apartment blurbs on craigslist are about as cryptic and/or misleading as some Fringe blurbs (not a problem for Sunday’s two).
Koun Koukki was fun, if a little … off. There were several occasions where it seemed like maybe somebody had gone off and they were improvising to get back to a known waypoint. The stagecraft is great (love the dragon), and we did enjoy the overall experience.
Cautionary Tales was a riot. There are many things to like, but I think it’s the choreography that put it over the top for me.
Due to some insomnia, I ended up reading through the night and finished Harry Potter at 8am. It was a good finish to the series, although some parts seem a little too expository, and Rowling still needs an editor. I’m also going to have to reread the climax again to make sure I got it, ’cause parts of it weren’t quite lining up.
3:36 pm
I think I know who DCtheatergirl is. My comments window was open for a long time while work intruded. Heh. Hi!
9:48 pm
I second (or third) the recommendation for Cautionary Tales! It’s light and funny and brilliantly delivered by a cast who must really be evil . . . in a good way.
9:47 am
Super Glossy! In a world where one woman shows are rare and weak.. this one is super strong. Courtney Mclean is a treat to watch and one helluva story teller. The multi-media humor really added an extra dimension to the show. Great performance and high energy! See it early and it will fuel the rest of your night.
10:52 am
My wife and I attended the D.C. Fringe Last year and loved everything we saw. We also attended the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in ‘05. The first night we were in Edinburgh we saw what we then thought was the worst performance we had ever seen — an unfunny comedian doing an Elvis impersonation in a Superman suit who called himself Super Elvis — after that everything else we saw in Edinburgh was good or great.
This year in Washington we started with Romeo & Juliet: A Crime Scene Investigation. Run; don’t walk, as far from this disaster as you can. A mixture of middle school, high school and adult performers who perform bits from the Shakespeare play interspersed with flatfooted and obvious psychobabble about teen suicide. When the performers weren’t going up on their lines, they were stepping on each others’ feet. The kids were scared and bumbling, and the adults were the worst kind of amateurs: huge, hairy hams of the kind who believe that when their character gets angry on stage it’s an excuse to scream as loud as they can. Ninety minutes with no intermission to allow you to escape. At one point I actually closed my eyes and covered my ears, and the woman sitting in front of me was laughing so hard that she had to brush away tears.
Best parts: The young man who played Romeo has actual stage presence and talent. With the right direction and training he could have a real future in the theater. Also, there was a pretty pre-teen girl who had little to do onstage and was expected to sit quietly at the side most of the time. Towards the end, when the terrified young man who played the Friar in a ridiculous costume that looked like a tatty ball gown rushed through a lecture on teen suicide statistics at a mile a minute, the girl sitting beside the stage played with the dagger Romeo used to kill himself, pulling it slowly from the scabbard, carefully examining it, trying the point with her finger and finally returning it to the scabbard with great care. God bless this child! At least she learned something from this misbegotten production — how to upstage the other actors!
12:36 pm
Last year there was such a gorgeous celebration of heart for the first annual Fringe.
This is a non-juried festival, so anyone’s grandma can put in an application to do a one-woman show about newfangled microwaves or whatnot. Everyone pays the same application and venue fees. It’s very democratic.
And this is what Fringe is–you’re gonna get some standout shows but you’re also gonna get a healthy dose of people who have never been on stage before, who are taking baby steps toward expressing their ideas. In short, you’re gonna get a lot of flops.
I can understand that people don’t want to waste their time or $15 on a ticket to something not very good. But maybe then Fringe isn’t for you–it’s about risk on both sides of the proscenium. People have been asking me what to avoid seeing and I refuse to answer that because it’s not in the spirit of Fringe.
And by the way, the review above of R&J makes me curious enough to want to see it! I picked a show last year because I’d heard that not one single ticket had been sold to it and it was one of the funniest, most inventive shows I saw at the Festival. My own show, “Nutshell,” was called “astoundingly misguided” by the Washington Post this morning but ticket sales have been climbing steadily. We had 200 people Sunday night who seemed to dig it. Opinions are just opinions. Go form your own. And when you publish that opinion online, keep in mind the artists are going to read it.
Hey kids, we’re all in this together, so let’s keep Fringe fun! Even for the people in sucky shows!
2:33 pm
So far 50% success, which isn’t bad. I loved Air Heart and Nutshell, and disliked I AM SAAM (trivial, juvenile and badly acted) and Swedish Tiger, despite the fact that I am Swedish and got most of the “inside” jokes… Can’t wait to see The Eddie Lounge Show on Friday, which was one of the best shows last year. So pleased it’s back with a vengeance! Also looking forward to Too much light makes the baby go blind… Any other recommendations? Anything I should not miss for the world?
Isabel
3:38 pm
I was one of the audience members for Nutshell on Sunday. The audience was abuzz with happiness after the show. I was an English major and TS Eliot scholar in college. I got it & totally loved it. Just one girl’s opinion.
3:39 pm
WARNING: Romeo and Juliet: CSI is performed and written as a class project by kids. The show was made and acted by mainly high schoolers and their theatre teacher. So while I won’t say it was terrible, if you’re looking for actual theatre, or even something experimental like this one claims to be, DON’T see R&J CSI. Trust me, in the long run, you’ll just feel bad about laughing at little kids as their parents look on.
I’m looking forward to Supersecret Show and Pabst and Popcorn!
4:41 pm
Saw “Making (Up) History: Searching for Annie Moore” last night at the Scientarium. Very professional production, and more straightforward than fingy. It’s an intriguing story about an American historical myth – the life of the first immigrant off the boat at Ellis Island – that was not just embellished, but completely wrong, and a geneologist who sets out to find the real story. At the beginning and end they get the audience involved in talking about their own family histories.
My show, The” R” Word, has stayed under the review radar, but I did hear from someone who saw it and called it “funny, touching and poignant” which works for me. I did managed to muscle my way into the Theatremania.com video.
5:26 pm
Some of the best one-person shows aren’t getting the attention they deserve in this Fringe Festival. I’ve personally seen a few great shows, and have heard good buzz about others. I’ll be posting links to those shows and other information at http://www.arthurlevine.com.
Slash Coleman’s Neon Man and Mean is both a moving and hilarious look at the death of his best friend. It’s good enough to be on PBS next year, and you shouldn’t miss it.
Courtney McLean is a rising young star with a magnetic stage presence and a great flair for comedy who does a lively parody of women’s magazines, adding a mock sci-fi element. The show is Super Glossy.
Zerha Fehzal does a brilliant reading of a one-person presentation, derived from a Japanese play she edited, on Hitler’s machinations to rid himself of his best friend, Ernest Rohm, head of the Stormtroopers. It’s an effort to bring Hitler down to human scale so we can better understand his evil. Here’s what DCist said:
Zehra Fazal Shines @ The Fringe Festival
Zehra Fazal in My Friend Hitler“If I do my job as an actor, you won’t notice that I’m South Asian or that I’m a woman, or even that I’m playing one of the most controversial political figures of all time. I’m portraying a person at a crossroads struggling with a difficult decision.” So says Zehra Fazal (pictured right) of her striking portrayal of Adolf Hitler in her self-produced, one-woman adaptation of Yukio Mishima’s play, My Friend Hitler, currently running at the Capital Fringe Festival.
An experienced young gay and African-American comedian, Les Kurkendaal, transcends those “categories” with a well-reviewed show about a “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner”-style comedy scenario involving a black man meeting his white boyfriend’s parents in “Christmas in Bakersfield.” It’s been shown for seven years at a row in the Minneapolis fringe festival, and he’s a steadily working comic, so he’s got the comedy skills needed to make the show a treat for all. You can learn more and see video excerpts of his act at http://www.myspace.com/leskurkendaal.
Also check out John Hefner, the estanged cousin of Hugh Hefner, in his acerbic and humorous take comparing his life to his famed womanizing relative. You can check out more about his act at http://www.myspace.com/hefnermonologues
Air Heart, the one-woman show combining acrobatics and a one-woman show on Amelia Erhart, is one of the hottest ticks around.
Go to the links to the schedule on this website, or on the festival website, http://www.capfringe.org/
Enjoy!
9:32 pm
I saw Nutshell on Sunday and I was very dissapointed. Art should force its audience to confront issues they might otherwise avoid, to face its prejudices, stereotypes and flaws. Living in Washington DC, this should be especially true. In this Nutshell fails. Besides that the plot was completely unbelievable (and I am not talking about speaking to animals), the play attempted to tackle ‘issues’ in a way that came off as uninformed. When the play dealt with theatre it was witty and knowledgeable (if at times self-indulgent and in poor taste), yet as soon as it strayed into other issues it lost its credibility. There is a moment when one of the elephants states that humans personify animals to deal with their own flaws. An insightful comment, however stating this in the context where the author proceeds to do just that was a hypocrisy I can not forgive. Rather than being forced to confront its own issues, the audience is left confronted by the author’s. There are no insights into the human condition and the audience is not challenged to think in new ways. Instead characters are stereotypes and issues are superficial. If the audience shares the author’s viewpoints, it only serves to reinforce, not challenge. If the audience does not, it only offends.
12:18 am
WARNING: Not everything you read in this blog is valid! What ever happened to the old saying ‘if you don’t have anything nice to say…’? Criticism should be constructive. If you don’t agree with the artistic vision of a show, that is legitimate criticism. If you just want to tear down someone’s self esteem in the guise of thinking you sound oh so erudite and oh so intelligent, you are oh so deluded.
The artists that perform in this festival should be commended for having the guts to put themselves out there.
Romeo and Juliet CSI is a daring and visionary show. It should be performed not only in this festival but in other venues, especially where it can be seen by at risk teens and parents of teens. I am a big fan and disagree completely with the negative and destructive comments posted on this blog.
PlayGirl and others who feel the need to raise themselves up by tearing others down should think twice before spewing their venomous criticism in a public forum.
12:33 am
Lysistration
Venus Theatre
Their synopsis: In the spirit of Aristophanes, Lysistration explores pop culture through an electric and comedic plugged in rock sound. No longer is it enough to abstain in order to end the war, the time has come for the Lysistration Inversion. Prepare for action.
Z says:
A motley crew of women in a motley rock musical. The symbolism isn’t clear, and I’m not fond of plays hitting me over the head with a large mallet to drive home their point. Wait, what exactly was the point again?
While there are a few choice moments that had me cracking up (due mainly to the delivery of the actors rather than the writing,) the show is largely inconsistent. While the final number urging us all to “love anyway” leaves me feeling warm and fuzzy, I have no clear idea of how I reached that destination.
It seems like the writer has a lot of good ideas–for instance, the actual Lysistration project (which renders men impaled by their own member) is downright hilarious, as is Elise Arsenault’s no-nonsense matter of fact performance as the lactating scientist behind the concoction. But the overall execution in its writing and comedic timing is poorly realized, making the whole thing seem disjointed.
Pros: Some beautiful songs sung by Monalisa Arias. Nice comedic timing displayed by Elise Arsenault and Shelby Sours, who give enjoyable performances.
Cons: Unclear plot, drags on, and the self-therapy at work in the play is at times unsettling
11:19 am
The Neon Man and Me
Slash Coleman’s one-man show
Their synopsis: Award-winning performer Slash Coleman brings to life 30 characters who tell and expressive, touching and hilarious story of his struggle to come to terms with his best friend’s death. Includes nine monologues and an original music score. The show recently ran off-Broadway and will air on PBS this fall.
Z says: It is easy to see why Coleman and his work are so acclaimed–the hour or so of this one-man show joyously passes by, managing to be both poignant and laugh-out-loud hilarious.
Written by Coleman as a love letter of sorts to his best friend, he seamlessly bounces between characters and evokes a multitude of scenes and environments with only a simple set and guitar. What is even more impressive than his range is the sense of relaxed honesty that emanates from him on stage, which keeps the audience connected at every moment.
Recommendation: A must-see gem of the Festival.
11:23 am
Tuesday’s performance of “Nutshell” was a pleasant surprise.
The meat of the play revolves around the notion of opening up diplomatic negotiations with a tribe of elephants. Humans of varying degrees of do-gooder intent want to tag a tribe of noble nomadic elephants, the better to protect them from encroaching poachers. Post-colonialist liberal guilt and hang-wringing abound, as the humans attempt to convince the elephants that giving up a just a little bit of freedom, in the form of GPS tracking collars, is a small price to pay for increased security, while the wary elephants fear the slippery slope of disappearing independence. If that’s not a relvant discussion to be having at this point in history, I’m not sure what is. There’s the meat of a good story here, Kimball is on to something with this idea of inter-species diplomacy, and the production is blessed with a cast ready and willing to dive into their anthropomorphized roles.
The bookending scenes set in the do-gooding DC nonprofit work best when seen as a valentine to the DC theatre scene. The writing is sharp and one-liners pop, and I laughed heartily. Kimball clearly knows her audience, and plays to it. I wonder, though, if Kimball isn’t playing her talents and her play short by keeping the show so inside? Tuesday’s audience, made up of a who’s who of the local scene, sure did laugh their asses off, and I was right there with them. But would a general audience get a whole series of Helen Hayes Awards jokes? I doubt it. This play has the potential for bigger things, Kimball just needs to trim the fat a bit and expand upon her more flamboyant ideas. The inside stuff might be an easy laugh, but the real art of this play is the interaction between the animals of the two and four legged variety.
All said, though, Nutshell is the best show I’ve seen at this year’s Fringe, and those who want a unique and lively experience should give it a go.
1:13 pm
Fringefan–
So glad you liked “Nutshell”! We were blessed with wonderful houses for each show but last night was especially responsive. It was so nice to send the actors off on closing night with such a warm reception.
Part of the fun was, once I learned we’d be on the Woolly mainstage, writing the script as a treaty-treat just for DC theatregoers. I have no delusions that a show with 28 characters will EVER have an after-life. Maybe I’m wrong and someday this will have another production, in which case I’ll tweak the show much along the lines you suggest (and probably turn Kimberly Gilbert into a sort of worldwide-temp/actor-cum-celebrity against her will).
I am SO grateful to the actors who rehearsed in a (blessedly free-of-charge) non-air-conditioned, leaky, mosquito-infested warehouse for two months and hit the stage on Friday ready to go. Their devotion to this odd beast of a project was humbling. I kept looking around at rehearsal saying to myself, “Really? Michael Willis is playing Spam in my show? Really? Okay. Just act cool and maybe he won’t realize how that he’s getting all dirty with us for no pay just to say a handful of silly lines.”
Thanks everyone for a great ride.
I saw “Abstract Nude” yesterday and enjoyed it very much. I’m going to see Courtney McLean’s show “Super Glossy” Thursday night–if you didn’t catch her show last year you don’t know what you’re missing. Court is a force of nature! Friday it’s “Local Story” and “Blind Babies” (my phrase for “Too Much Light…”). Wish I had time to see so much more! I’ve heard “Queen of the Bohemian Dream” is quite good and there are sooooo many more I’m just plain curious about, including the much-maligned Romeo and Juliet.
Peace in your crease!
2:15 pm
I have really been enjoying the fringe this year, and I can’t say that I’ve seen anything that was bad. Truly every show I’ve been to has been worthwhile and entertaining. No need to critique too heavily — this is fringe, folks! I started with Nutshell, and while maybe it wouldn’t work for a $35+ full evening of theatre, it got my fringe started with a bang. Next A Most Notorious Woman – a terrifically acted 1-woman tour de force show. How did she manage to keep with character while shifting platforms and scenery – and stay in breath! Hefner Monologues was entertaining, if some of the dialogue a bit young for me — at times was like frat boy humor, but overall a promising show with wit and vulnerability that I admired. Pabst & Popcorn – what can one say. A hoot, very entertaining, who can resist that devil? Petpourri was cute and warm and made me smile throughout – but then, I am a dog-loving pet owner! I U.S. was good, with some great moments. Naked Cabaret was an enjoyable tune-filled hour. Queen of Bohemian Dream was so good I saw it twice. I very much enjoyed Abstract Nude – no surprise great acting – look at the cast! What a bargain. Night of Living Theatre . . . By Dead Playwrights — I loved this. I found it clever and witty — totally worth it for the Shakespeare-Madonna and Beckett riffs. I also found Other Plans enjoyable – especially the last 2 stories. Beall is terrific actor, and That’s Amore was light and engaging. Evening with George Burns was charming and nostalgic. Butter: A Love Story was amusing and funny. The ExFiles was terrific. Again great acting, great short. Loved it. So far for me – a great Fringe, and while I’m almost fringed-out, there are still a few more I hope to get a chance to see. Enjoy yourselves everybody – and kudos to all the artists & performers this year!
2:46 pm
I find the idea that one should have no/low expectations because this is a Fringe festival rather silly (“let’s not criticize too much! We’re all in this together!)
For me, Fringe is about taking risks and trying new things, not throwing up things that aren’t ready for primetime (unless they are clearly identified as such, i.e. last year’s READING of Abstract Nude, or noting “a workshop production” in the blurb). I’m happy to go to something that fesses up to that. A good example of something that met a Fringe standard is Nutshell: the playwright acknowledges it is unlikely to be presented in another forum, but that doesn’t mean they didn’t try to present a fully realized show.
Yes, anyone who applies by a certain date can get in. But that doesn’t mean I, as an audience member, cannot be disappointed/annoyed/outright appalled that someone asked me to pay $15 and spend an hour of my life watching something that never got past the idea of “hey, kids, let’s put on a show!” to the point of actually working on and honing said show.
There are forums for works in progress (yes, too few) that say “no reviews allowed.” I just looked through the Fringe website and didn’t see anything along those lines.
Yes, going to Fringe shows means you have to accept your end of the bargain: you risk the unknown that might not be your cup of tea. But if you’re going to put your work out there, you have to be ready for whatever criticism comes your way. That’s your end of the bargain.
3:04 pm
Is anyone else wondering why there aren’t more actual reviews by Trey & Bob being written on this site? Two a day seems pretty low – all the commenters seem to have more to say than that, and we’re not getting paid for it. I’ve been re-checking this blog quite a bit to no avail. I’d appreciate an update.
4:28 pm
Update to Curious:
Bob is on vacation. And Trey, now burdened with a day job, is blogging as fast as he can.
But this being the blogosphere, your comments are a vital part of the Fringe & Purge experience, so please post away. As for getting paid — well, ain’t nobody getting rich on this. As with much of what’s happening this Fringe week, it’s a labor of love.
7:51 pm
How long is Bob going to be on vacation LOL He hasn’t written a review since May 31st! Is the new owner going to keep such a large theatre staff? 3 theatre reviewers for a weekly newspaper is a big staff
9:12 pm
The Fringe B-Attitudes
Blessed Be Callie Kimball – for she is kick-ass but still befriends the little guys!
Blessed Be FringeGoer – for he/she has a point!
Blessed Be R&J:CSI and The Risk-Taking Artists – for they shall expand our minds!
Blessed Be The Risk-Taking Audiences – for they shall see the future stars!
Now, in fairness to all o’ you armchair critics in the hizouse, there is a special place for you at Fringe! Come see my show at the Atlas Theatre: Carrie Potter at the Half-Blood Prom, a New Improv-Punk Musical. You will undoubtedly be OVERWHELMED by the excoriating original script, subtly crafted music and lyrics, general technical spectacle and deeply developed characterizations… but if not, we CAN’T WAIT to read your highly informed and insightful critiques. Really.
“Carrie Potter” is also recommended for anyone who just wants to have a some CRAPTASTIC FUN at a ridiculously classy venue!
Yours In Me,
Jesus H. Christ
Carpenter, Messiah, Amateur Rocker
Currently appearing in CARRIE POTTER AT THE HALF-BLOOD PROM at Atlas Theatre courtesy of HEAVEN
landlesstheatrecompany.org
Jesus! Friend or Foe?
“He Who Should Really Never Be Named: Which Side Are You???”
http://www.landlesstheatrecompany.org/Links.html
11:42 pm
Thanks, Jesus! You made me feel clean again.
A’ight, I’m gonna push to see like six shows on Saturday! Woohoo! Go Fringe! And you know what? I don’t wanna read a single review–I wanna take my chances! I wanna see the installation “My Way Little Girl,” the play about the Irish piratess, the Cockroach play, Two by Mee, Eddie Lounge, Blue Lagoon, the Fausty beer play, Cautionary Tales, and every play that my damn hot friends are involved in–Telemonster, the Ex Files, the Hamlet Clown play, The Drunkard, Butter…
Holy Shiite Muslim, Batman! I can’t take the pressure of all this Fringerrrific tasty goodness!
12:04 am
Oh, Curious: If only we were staff. We are mere freelancers, all of us, and have been since our friend Jesus here was a mere manger-lounger.
And Bob will be back, as always, in September. (One of the advantages of being the senior freelancer, it would seem, is that you can afford a little break now and then while the peons scratch for extra pennies on the blog.)
9:11 am
ok, I was just wondering. There were ads regularly posted in issues of the City Paper advertising “laurel and hardy, peanut butter and celery… TREY AND BOB!!” – proclaiming them the unsplittable duo of fringe coverage. I hope they stopped running those once they realized he was out of town.
11:15 am
Yeah, weren’t those amusing? I didn’t know anything about ‘em until I saw ‘em in print. And I’m not sure whether I’m supposed to be Didi or Gogo, but …
But actually, I think if you read closely, you’ll discover that those ads are pimping the City Paper’s regular theater coverage, in the print paper, not the Fringe blog. (They mention “the far fringes,” but by that they mean only that we cover theaters large and small.) We always knew Bob wouldn’t be available for Fringe.
3:11 pm
Since Mr. Graham decided to forgo most Bard themed shows in this year’s Fringe festival, I’ve decided to shamelessly appeal to the Fringers and Purgers and provide (hopefully) some incentive to check us out (since I’ve seen the same shows reviewed and mentioned over and over again on all the sites).
It’s coming down towards the finish line (and I know my wallet is feeling it) so we’re offering a buy-one-get-one ticket to Love & War: with the Bard’s Broads and Dames to our final two shows. We’ve had great audiences so far and expect that to continue so limited supplies of tickets are available but we just wanted to give a reward to those faithful who have hung in. We might have just come off a 6th mo. Shakespeare festival but this is the Bard our way…right away! So stop seeing the same shows, take a risk (it’s fringe for crying out loud) and save some money (we’ll even honor a free ticket with artist pass discount!!)
remaining shows Fri. 07/27 @ 7pm and Sat 07/28 @ 9pm
Visit our site at http://groups.msn.com/lovewar
to learn more about offer and the show.
I know I know…this is shameful plugging the show on the blog…Mr. Graham you made me do it!!!
3:38 pm
Bard’s Broad — my ticket has been in hand since last Sunday for your show tomorrow night. Word on the street is that it is a MUST SEE!
Saw the Hefner Monologues last night — the place was packed and hot, but Mr. Hefner put on a great show and kept us engaged and laughing. He’s got two shows left on Friday and Sunday so try to check him out if you can!!
5:00 pm
TY- Apparently I’m walking on the wrong streets
anyways, I’d be glad to retroactively offer a free ticket with your already purchased one if you’d like to bring a guest with you. just email us.
on another note:
I caught Trixie Little’s Super Secret show last night at the Warehouse and it was a perfect way to end a tipsy evening after the solid Neofuturists’ show which was awesome. Hoping to catch some more before the end of this week.
Congrats to all who have completed their run and continue breaking legs to those who have a few shows to go.
10:55 am
just saw the Pabst and Popcorn hour last night, here is my review:
See this show, if you can.
This show is totally awesome. As you enter you are greeted with a cold bottle of Pabst Blue Ribbon and a bag of popcorn. The set is minimal – a satanic banner in the back, a magical trunk with an evil eye, a few red and black wooden crates, and some seriously medieval hand-made lighting equipment, all operated onstage. The Devil, in a sleek white tux and red silk shirt, leads you through the evening with the help of a phenomenally energetic and committed duo: Mephostophilis and the Evil Angel monkey. The nerdy Dr. Faustus himself is tempted from conventional learning into the dark arts – with direst consequences. In the audience and on the sidelines, the good angel earnestly tries to save Faustus’ soul, holding a Coleman camping lantern that really does start to look like the light of hope and truth in the dim murky red depths. The most amazing thing about this production is the line it treads between scatological hilarity and respect for the original play. Dr. Faustus especially is saddled with most of the original text in verse – he handles the shift from comedy to tragedy very smoothly and all while spitting out tounge-twisting speeches. And right in the middle of it, just as you’ve finished your first beer, the lovely hosts are there with a fresh cold one, already opened for you. I shrieked, I laughed, I sang along to power ballads and songs from the old Charlie and the Chocolate Factory movie. The offensive Jesus jokes are the best. The only thing I regret is not sitting closer to the aisle so that I could confess my sins to the Devil and be absolved (sent to hell). This plays for the next two days at the Goethe institute, but I can’t imagine a better venue than the down n’ dirty black box at DCAC where the action surrounded us on all sides.
11:22 am
Hamlet, that is the question…Plagiarism is really the question. This piece was unfortunately an over-written, not successful, gimmicky attempt at clown, with too much verbiage and very little genuine discovery, but it also seemed to quote far too accurately a hugely successful clown Shakespeare Scottish piece by a company of clowns who are Clowns, not actors playing clowns. Were these “references” a coincidence of the collective unconscious? Doubtful given their exact wording. This is really not cool and I would hope that whoever thought it would be clever to appropriate, would also think to give credit in the future.
11:37 am
Molotov Theatre Group is off to a goddam auspicious start with their debut production “For Boston”.
A 45-minute gutpunch of a play, “For Boston” (a world premier by Michael McMahon and Lucas Maloney) left me stunned, exhilarated, and eager to see what this company has in store next. I left the theatre with that feeling we all hope for during Fringe, that we’ve just discovered something new, something special.
“Boston” tells the story of two drinking buddies, and a Labor Day weekend gone mortifyingly, epically wrong. Staged on a set made up of only a few grey wooden boxes on the bare Flashpoint floor, director Lucas Maloney guides his four game actors through alternating monologues of increasing depravity, misogyny, and horror, while managing to find the humanity in the characters and crafting a coherent morality tale. Credit the actors, especially the divinely wicked Danny Gavigan, for finding the humanity in these superficial hedonists, and their decent into karmic hell.
Did I mention “For Boston” is a comedy? And a hilarious one, too. Pitch black dark, to be sure, but the dialogue sparkles and the one-liners go down smooth, like good Boston ale. Body fluids flow and f-bombs are dropped at a rapid pace, folks. This one’s sure not for the kids, but for discriminating adult Fringe-goes looking to go for a walk on the wild side, “For Boston” is sure thing.
Lest I be accused of too effusive with my praise, I must note a major flaw in the shows technical craftsmanship, but one that can be easily fixed. I’m a fan of underscoring, and the cinematic feel it lends to a show. Some key moments in “For Boston”, a play much driven by monologue, are underscored much too loudly. It’s never good when the lyrics of the background music drown out the actors. A nice guitar solo or instrumental track would have worked just as nicely to create ambiance, while allowing focus to remain on language driving the scene. Perhaps this was simply a first-night mistake, and the kinks will be worked out over the course of the run.
All in all “For Boston” has been my great Fringe discovery of the year. I heartily recommend it, and I can’t wait to see with Moltov does next.
3:38 pm
I post this mostly to warn people about te Eddie Lounge show. Awful. It’s a one trick pony (phony?) that’s repeated again and again: sing to one particular audience member and make her squirm with delight and discomfort. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. It’s not funny. Shockingly bad. To top it all off, Eddie Lounge is off key. This show belongs in an underfunded midwestern nursing home.
I saw Cautionary Tales and loved it. I’m sure Saturday’s midnight show will be a hoot.
I also really liked This Digital Life, but much of my fascination was because of the subject and not the acting. Worth a view on Saturday at 2:30.
The Truth about Annie Moore was somewhat interesting – go if you are a big history buff. See it Saturday at 7:30.
I wasn’t a big fan of Nutshell. See my comment on the main Nutshell review.
3:55 pm
I am delighted with the overwhelmingly positive response to Romeo & Juliet: CSI and I am glad that the vast majorities of those who have shared their experience of the work with us have found value in the work both on its aesthetic, social, and artistic merits.
We have played to excellent houses throughout the festival and anticipate another full house when we return for our final performance on Sunday July 29 at the Warehouse.
It is because I have received the support of so many audience and staffers at the Fringe that I feel compelled to clarify false and negative statements made here regarding Romeo & Juliet: CSI and to encourage all readers to attend as many of the fringe performances as your wee pocketbooks will allow. I know I am cramming in as many shows as my schedule will allow!
So for clarification:
Although, the company includes talented young actors, R&J: CSI is not a school project, nor am I a teacher in a school setting. My studio, THEATREWORKS explores the work of Lessac, Grotowski, Brecht and Boal. Since when does creating a human statement in theatre require actor’s equity or university or professional company affiliation? In fact, I thought that was the point–we, on the fringe, or beyond it, are making our work and sharing it. I am eager tol participate in the panel discussion of “new art/ancient texts” on Saturday to discuss the creative process that brought about this piece.
This is not just another R&J. Through the deconstruction of the text, CSI illuminates the Bard’s uncanny observations of this most modern problem. CSI presents the classic text in new paradigm—the modern epidemic of teen depression and suicide. The premise is the surviving characters reconstruct the previous days in a ‘psychological autopsy’ to answer the question: why? The piece has been recognized by mental health professional organizations such as the Suicide Prevention Coalition, CentraHealth Mental Health Services and the Crisis Line for providing an innovative forum for communication and education. The Theatreworks Repertory Company has successfully toured R&J: CSI throughout Virginia to acclaim from audiences that indeed didn’t share ‘genetic material” with us.
Finally, who would trivialize as ‘psycho-babble’ a discussion of suicide risks in teens? Suicide is the #2 killer of college students and the #3 killer of teens–more than all other health issues combined. We educate our young people against all forms of sexual, substance, social and health related risks from rape, STD, pregnancy, AIDS, tobacco and racial/social violence—but we do not include mental health screening materials in our teen health awareness programs. CDC stats in our epilogue are clear: 95% of suicides were found to have a diagnosable mental illness. Shouldn’t we all know the signs? Is it not the intention of art to break through the wall of silence surrounding tender issues of the human condition? For young people in America, and in fact, around the world, suicide risk is an alarming public health crisis.
Thank you Callie for your support and best of luck on Nutshell…which I have heard IS a must see…
And, btw, David, the only middle schooler in the cast was that little girl you liked so much, and her business with the knife Juliet used (not Romeo) which “upstaged the suicide lecture” –was indeed a directing choice.
Long live the Fringe!
4:21 pm
Thanks MH.
FYI: We have about ten tickets left for the midnight show. If you want to see it–buy yours now. It is sure to be a hoot, indeed.
11:18 am
Saw Local Story late last night–a lovely script and a nice performance. I was exceedingly tired so I found myself a little disengaged but able to appreciate a good show. It’s sort of the opposite experience of sitting on a tarp in an alley–a play with a linear plotline and people talking to each other. I think it’s admirable Madcap presents real plays at Fringe–no mean feat when you’ve got 15 minutes to set up and enter a complex psychological world.
Also saw Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind (Blind Babies for short). I’m not terribly into sketch stuff so I also was a little disengaged from this but the audience seemed to have a hoot. I admire their energy and consistency and general sense of fun. I left a little irritated because they didn’t get to two of the scenes and one of them was the main one I was interested in seeing–Kittens Are Happy on Fresh Litter Day. I found myself laughing hard at Three Angels from Three Different Heavens, ABC Dance Dance, This Chick Don’t Dance, Lollapa-Lincoln, and Games, Damn.
Today it’s Two by Mee, Fate of a Cockroach, then I’m speaking on a panel at 5 at Olsson’s, then it’s the Pabst and Popcorn Hour and–provided I can stay awake–the midnight show of Cautionary Tales. I’m bummed I’m not going to get to see everything I want to. Ack! I’m gonna be late for Two of Mee!
Peace in your crease.
3:11 pm
I second FringeFan on FOR BOSTON. I definitely wanna see what’s next from these guys. I have to say i didnt really get much connection to Grand Guignol on this piece, a genre they hope to emulate and adapt for future shows, but still, a very funny, well acted 3 scene sketch of a mini-play that was engaging and a little shocking (not too shocking, could have used more of that), but kudos for this little start-up. Check em out at Flashpoint Sat 8pm, Sun 2pm.
LYSISTRATION was a bit of a confusing mess that could use some more focus and dramaturgical help, but some fun moments, some fun performers and some pretty great songs especially when belted by the kick ass drummer (and I believe songwriter). Otherwise, this one’s still in development stage. It’s not Jello yet.
THE TROJAN WOMEN – not sure why this is in Fringe, BUT it was very very well staged with some modest stylized movement work and I have to say, a cast that vies for the best cast award at Fringe, along with ABSTRACT NUDE and NUTSHELL (and who is that handsome Greek soldier?). Its a 55minute adaptation. Am not a Greek tragedy fan, too much repetitive hand-wringing, but when this kicks into gear its worth the visit – especially if you like your Greek tragedy short and concise like this one. At Source Sat 4:30pm.
GUERILLA NEW MUSIC is Great Noise Ensemble doing a program of new music (read contemporary but desonant in the classical mode). It’s a coll program and something different in the fest from plays, solo shows and dance. Some of the pieces like the two man handclapping piece by Steve Reich, and the one with the Coke cans, but theyre weird and short. Other stuff I wouldnt really clasify as ‘guerilla’ but it was a well performed program, one piece based on Lewis Carroll’s Walrus and the Carpenter with nice vocals (I can’t say by whome since none of the performers were listed in the program – bad marketing person, bad!). At Source, Sunday at noon (plus they have dates throughout the coming season at various locations).
10:10 pm
Callie, don’t miss Cautionary Tales! Drink a few triple mocha lattes.. It is well worth the buzz.
11:27 am
I simply couldn’t do it. After sitting on several wooden chairs all day long, I wilted through the fabulous Pabst & Popcorn show at 10pm and then took my nauseous, headachey, overheated, dehydrated, bloated-from-beers-and-popcorn sleepy self home where I passed out on my sofa ’til 5am.
Fringe wins again this year. I give up. I’m officially broken.
By the way, I LOVED The Fate of a Cockroach. I’d been asking myself where all the black artists were in Fringe and the answer is they’re all in the cockroach play (along with all the Fringe artists over 40). I dug the play itself and admired the simple and pure committment of the actors. It reminded me of early Cherry Red shows where the actors were blessedly unself-aware and oh-so-committed to the absurdity, despite the lack of a production budget. There was zero vanity in this production, zero deadly cleverness, and zero wink-winkage.
The cockroaches all wore bike helmets that had been elaborately decorated with long wings and antennae. The Queen Cockroach’s bike helmet kept slipping back off her head with every line so for a while it became The Play About The Bike Helmet Slipping Off The Queen Cockroach’s Head. She stayed in character and eventually, about 10 minutes into the scene, took it off. No one missed a beat. The scene changes were interminable, and during one of them, the overhead projector had timed out so what was on the screen were the words “No Signal (?HELP)” on a blue background.
A gorgeously brave effort from a group committed to nontraditional casting and community artistry. Their purity of approach served well the pathos (not bathos) of the story of a man caught up in the struggle of a cockroach struggling to escape from a bathtub.
12:29 pm
[...] of us were officially done by last night. (Didn’t stop us from commenting — and reviewing — which makes me [...]
2:42 am
How its going?