Time to Chime In
A kindly commentator by the name of Rory left the following beneath Trey’s pube-centric “All in a Day’s Fringe” post:
Why can’t I find a place to post comments about shows that were not reviewed? I LOVED the “Diamond Dead” show and cannot find an appropriate place to share.
To Rory, we say: it’s folks like you that keep us honest.
And so, with less than a week left in the festival, we at Fringe & Purge were thinking it’s about time to solicit a sort of civilian roundup. This is your invitation to weigh in on what rocked, what tanked, and — especially if you’ve got any backstage scandals or barroom stories to share — what went down at your Fringe.
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10:27 am
A polyester-suited devout Jew who accidentally
becomes impregnated by a Fairy God Jewish Mother – a Jewish hand-puppet super hero named “Super Cock,” and a spiritual mentorship of a big, orange, Matzo ball.
What’s not to like about “Slash Coleman has Big Matzo Balls”? I drove in from Richmond to see the show and I was glad I did.The intimate crowd of about 15 of us were treated to something both odd and…. well… hilarious!
This is one of the highlights of my three year fringe experience.
11:14 am
CHOCOLATE JESUS! This was such a wonderful show! It was insightful, moving, funny, and very real! 4 ensemble member telling real life stories about faith, religion and identity with honesty, humor and charm. It was such a treat!
1:23 pm
Wiener Sausage: The Musical! was great when I saw it last weekend but not as great yesterday when I returned to try and decipher all of its meanings. The sound was all screwed up yesterday, but if they get those problems figured out, this will be a keeper … with great performances and music.
Also liked Prototype 373-G, but it was seriously almost too hot to enjoy as much Fringe as I had hoped. But Wiener Sausage and Prototype were the best of the 5 I attended this weekend.
2:36 pm
CHILDREN OF MEDEA. This show blew my mind. Actress Sue Jin Song’s one woman performance of this world premiere mash-up tragedy regarding two Korean-American sisters struggling to make sense of their mother’s disappearance and their own burgeoning adulthood took me through a gamut of emotions. I found myself tearing up, laughing, thinking back about my own family’s experiences, and wondering how on earth this story was going to turn out. Song’s transitions into MULTIPLE characters (a friend and I tried to keep count but couldn’t) was staggering. Whether she’s taking on the powerful, queenly persona of Medea or daydreaming about clouds as a young girl, she commands your attention.
Though she addresses certain older Asian American themes, such as the generation/cultural gap between immigrant family members and the pressures of being the model minority, Song offers a truly original study of the trauma instigated by global displacement.
2:41 pm
Julie–
It blew guest blogger Sheffy Gordon’s mind too. Check it out: http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/fringe/2008/07/18/hipshot-children-of-medea/
2:50 pm
EPIC OF GILGAMESH. Of 12 or so fringe shows seen to far, the dramatic version of the Epic of Gilgamesh was the best thing so far. CLOUD FACTORY was also excellent, as was SLAVE NARRATIVES REVISTED. But the EPIC was the best. Beautifully adapted, well-staged, and well-performed, it was outstanding.
2:57 pm
Bargain Basement Game Show was a ton of fun and really well put together. The host is wonderfully endearing. The audience loved it — great way to spend a late Saturday night. Being a little wine tipsy probably helped too — actually that’s probably what contributed to my lackluster final score, but HEY, I got a t-shirt and the winners got some pretty nifty prizes. Last show is this Saturday at DCAC.
3:00 pm
I agree with Rory! Diamond Dead was AMAZING on Saturday! It was loud, hot, funny, sexy–I have a total girl crush now on Aria DeWinter (the female lead).
3:03 pm
Diamond Dead! That show was killer! I still have their songs stuck in my head–This Girl Can Rock, Seize the Night, Crash Test Dummies in Love. I’ve seen a lot of fringe shows, but nothing comes close to the professional quality of Diamond Dead!
5:22 pm
Need to get a word in about THICKER THAN WATER – Annie Houston’s one-woman tour de force about the relationship between two sisters. Not to be missed. It’s about creativity, madness, forbearance, more than one kind of truth… and love. A literate script, inspired stagecraft, and a great performance by one of Washington’s best actors. See it (7/26 or 7/27)!
6:47 pm
Goddess Bless You, Rory, you are a true gentleman for speaking up on our behalf, hon. We are so thrilled that our little freakshow without a home has finally found a warm place of rest at Fringe.
Thank you Steve, Emily and others. You are too generous ~ we’re just dead folks who love to rock. Nothing more or less.
O Sweet Sweet City Paper, we are dead and buried here, but you showed us your love once:
http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/display.php?id=29415
http://www.washcp.com/display.php?id=29296&utm_source=inform&utm_medium=lobox&utm_campaign=InformBox
6:50 pm
Landless gives good dead! Their Saturday show made my weekend, and I fully intend to subscribe to their next season. Thanks Fringe.
6:56 pm
Ted ~ Thanks for listening.
10:08 am
THE BACCHAE — Great show! I was unfamiliar with this Greek classic, but it drew me in right from the start. The black metal rock music and edgy costumes were just part of a cool and surprising interpretation of the play. I loved the intimidating Dionysus, and Cadmus with his air guitar! I don’t want to give too much away — go see The Bacchae and be prepared for a wild ride!
10:23 am
diamond dead was awesome fun! go see this show–it’s like rocky horror but more METAL! i heard that people were standing to see it.
i would also have to recommend BEAR BEACH THE MUSICAL. Come on, people, how has no one commented on this one? It’s one of the fringe’s most bizarre and charming offerings. It celebrates a true fringe culture (that of burly gay men who liken themselves to forest creatures) and it’s even local (set in Rehoboth Beach, I believe, which is apparantly also known as Woof Trap). If you haven’t enjoyed watching some big old bears sing about getting “bear snacks” in the dunes of Rehoboth, you haven’t lived.
Also there is a fabulous, utterly flaming man who spins around and chants incantations in a vaguely shakespearean manner which compounds this drama in a bizarre way. You have to see it to believe it.
1:46 pm
MARAT/SADE is a great night of theatre. The H street playhouse is convincingly transformed into a mental institution, where audience members get to watch a play written/directed by the Marquis de Sade & performed by the mental patients. I was enthralled by the world I entered, entertained by the patients’ afflictions & acting abilities. The musical numbers added liveliness and intensity. Some of the Marquis de Sade’s philosphizing seemed repetitive, but overall the piece provided an enlightening peek into post-revolutionary France & insight into war in present times. With some particularly entertaining individual performances, this show was a strong ensemble piece and overall fulfilling theater experience.
3:30 pm
Excellent job!
10:42 pm
Yes, I like “Slash Coleman has Big Matzo Balls”It’s the secret bar of gold in this years fringe.
7:28 am
Our resident scenic designer Jared Davis is having an opening party 7-10 this Friday (7/25) at Warehouse Theatre for his gallery exhibition STRUCK: SCENIC REMNANTS BY JARED DAVIS. If you’ve enjoyed Jared’s art at Warehouse throughout the festival, this is your chance to meet the man behind the curtain. We hope to see you there!
Then stick around at 10 PM for the putrid smells and electric sounds of DIAMOND DEAD (wicked scenic design by Jared Davis), the “underground” hit of Fringe. This show is selling out, so get tickets now! http://www.landlesstheatrecompany.org
10:58 am
hello from the fringe office.
we want to invite EVERYONE out to the Baldacchino tonight to fight the rain and rock with The Omega Band. It’s a free concert by our favorite band to kick off the last 5 days of fringe. Our free gift to you in thanks for a great festival so far.
So come on out in the rain and get wet with us! 607 New York Avenue, NW, 10pm tonight.
7:54 am
SLASH COLEMAN HAS BIG MATZO BALLS – I laughed like crazy. A solid show!
2:25 pm
Put the The Cloud Factory on your see-it-before-Fringe-ends list. It’s inventive, creative, beautifully done.
3:57 pm
[...] Well, Fringe audiences have spoken, voting for Ethan Now as best drama, the zombie-rock shocker Diamond Dead as best musical, and David Gaines’s sublime 7(x1) Samurai as best solo [...]