Lipstick Handgun
Redrum at Fort Fringe

Remaining Performances:
Friday, July 24 @
5:45 p.m.
Saturday, July 25 @ 11:45 p.m.

They say: “This is play is scar from my head through my heart to my crotch. It’s a Greek chorus wrapped inside a romantic tragedy. There is also some moments of comedy and a compulsion to move via dance yoga and/or tai chi contained within it. A tornado in the rodeo of love and obsession. With meditations on the power of positive thinking. A shogun mystery choreopoem. Unraveling samskaric imprints.” [Note: I typed exactly what was in the Fringe Guide. Exactly.]

Hilary’s take: “I don’t get it,” says K, as D and M (or maybe it was T?) pantomime their pants off, clawing at their waistlines and collars. “I don’t get it!”

That’s exactly how I felt the entire 45 minutes of Stephen Forrest Notes’ “tornado in the rodeo of love and obsession.” I weathered the storm but walked out of Fort Fringe unamazed and confused. I think the gist of the play is this: Boy meets local “it” girl and becomes obsessed with her powerful sexual energy. But this woman is not powerful at all; she is vulnerable, needy even. But she doesn’t need him. Each is searching for a fulfilment the other is painfully ill-equipped to provide.

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Uncorseted
The Shop at Fort Fringe

Remaining Performances:
Saturday, July 25 @ 6:30 p.m.

They say: “Destinies of a European countess and a humble American chambermaid collide at the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition. Swords of steel penetrate gender norms, true identities are freely explored, and one man discovers it is better to receive than to give.”

Hilary’s take: I’m not sure if the Shark Tank Players’ production is the worst play I’ve ever seen or the greatest gender-bending burlesque send-up I’ve ever seen. It’s likely both, and it’s undeniably good, dirty fun.

At the Chicago World’s Fair, BFF’s and fearless shemales Penelope (Lacey Carriage) and Felicity (Goober Cemetery) cross paths (and cross-dress) with Countess Cornelia (the sublime Monti Gilmore), a Dionysian figure the size of Saturn much beloved by her loyal lesbian sex vixens whose breasts she names for the planet’s moons. The Countess knows her way around a sword, and Felicity seeks her fencing expertise to seduce Douglas (Peanut Norway), Penelope’s brother.

But the way to her man’s heart is not so simple. Read the rest of this entry »

Goodbye Love, Goodbye Joy, Hello Travis McElroy
The Shop @ Ft. Fringe

Remaining performances:
July 23 at 9:45 pm; July 25 at 11:30 am

They say: You make your living pretending to be someone you’re not. Goodbye, love. Everybody else’s entertainment is your job. Goodbye, joy. So is it possible to work in Hollywood without your life turning into a sitcom? Hello, Travis McElroy.

Sheffy says: Jellybeans?! When staging a play gushing with stereotypes, the blubbering young woman who just lost her boyfriend medicates with chocolate ice cream. Even I know that. And there is plenty of blubbering (and jellybeans) in a play about three female roommates in Hollywood fighting over clothes, movie gigs, and men (meow!). There’s Kelly (Kristen Egermeier), the beautiful self-centered actress who’ll do anything, or anyone, to get her big break; Jessica (Teresa Spencer) the out-of-work actress who doesn’t seem to understand how to play the game in Hollywood; and then there’s the sweet Linda (Megan Dominy) with the big heart, yet sans boyfriend.

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The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
The Mountain at Mt. Vernon Place United Methodist Church

Remaining Performances:
Thursday, July 23 @ 8 p.m.

They say: “Four adventurers step through a wardrobe door and into Narnia, a frozen land enslaved by the White Witch. When almost all hope is lost, the return of the Great Lion, Aslan, signals a great change and sacrifice.”

Hilary’s take: I haven’t the patience for children’s productions.

Looking at the Fringe guide, I wondered how C.S. Lewis’ best known work could be condensed into 42 minutes. Well, the production was actually 30 minutes. And it felt long. But I’m about 15 years older than the target audience and I left my stunt children at home. With no ability to gauge the play’s success on my own, I inferred from the sporadic giggles behind me that the Adventure Theater production had achieved its goal: to entertain the kiddies.

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Irish Authors Held Hostage
The Bodega at The Trading Post

Remaining Performances:
Saturday, July 25 @ 11 p.m.
Sunday, July 26 @ 2:15 p.m.

They say: “It’s back! The war on terror takes a hilarious turn as Irish authors from the ages are kidnapped by terrorists of every stripe. Expect no victims in this wicked romp that lampoons beloved writers and hated terrorists, or vice versa.”

Hilary’s take: Perhaps—given this show’s 2003 premiere at the Washington Theater Festival and its 2006 stint at the Warehouse Second Stage—it wouldn’t be fair to the newer, unvetted Fringe acts to hail J.T. Burian Theatricals’ IAHH as the most brilliant (in the ‘cross the pond exclamatory sense) production of 2009’s fest. But in an era held hostage by relics of Dubya’s terror-mongering, “fair” is so last century. Besides, Oscar Wilde (John Morogiello) had me at “I don’t care what you do to me so long as it’s BEAUUUUTIFUL!”

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Closing time is a simple concept.  At 12:25 am, the bartender announces, “Last Call at 12:30!”  As I select my beverage (from the Baldacchino Gypsy Tent bar’s refreshingly delectable beer menu), the bartender explains that Fringe’s alcohol permit extends only until 1 a.m., so I will have to finish my beverage before then.  Perfectly understandable.

So please explain to me why the Fringe beer police start grabbing cups out of your hands at 12:40 a.m.!  Last Saturday night, my friend got up from our table to make room in her bladder to finish her beer, and when she got back at 12:45, her beer had been confiscated—against our protestations.   This Saturday night, after being harassed every 5 minutes by said beer police, the editor of this City Paper blog had his nearly full bottle swiped from under his nose at 12:48.  We were informed that Alcohol Beverage Control has been cracking down (they don’t like ‘em theatre-types, I reckon).

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Freakshow
The Baldacchino Gypsy Tent Bar at Fort Fringe

Remaining Performances:
July 17th at 8:45 pm
July 23 at 6:30 pm

What they say: “Freakshow at a crossroads — the Dog Faced Woman sniffs freedom — the Ringmaster seeks redemption — and what lies in the mind of the Woman With No Arms and No Legs anyway? Step right up…if you dare.”

Caroline’s take: The description makes this show sound like some sort of spectacle that will disturb the audience;  really, it’s nothing like that.  Burrowing into the minds of the various players involved, the show illuminates what keeps them exploiting themselves (and each other) day after day.  It’s a simple enough premise—what goes on in the minds of 1900s “circus freaks,” people who are born with or develop various strange qualities that turns them into spectacles?  But to hear their own perceptions changes your assumptions immediately.

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Sex, Dreams, and Self Control
Goethe Mainstage

Remaining Performances: Thursday, July 16 at 6:30 pm.  Friday, July 17 at 10:00 pm.  Saturday, July 18 at 7:00 pm.  Sunday, July 19 at 3:30 pm.

They Say: This rites of passage tale presents itself bold and racy, and speaks loudly about sexuality and religion.  With an original alternative folk rock score in which Kevin Thornton croons like a young John Hiatt or a post-Smiths Morrissey.  One guitar.  One man.  A wild ride.

Ann’s Take: I hope years from now we’ll say, “they just don’t write songs like Kevin Thornton used to.” Accompanied by gorgeous guitar riffs and a sweet, melodic voice, no written description can do his songs justice.  You need to hear the refrain “After bible study hand jobs…We’ll read the word of God and then throb…” set to music to understand fully how poignant his lyrics can be.  And lucky for you, you can, tonight and every night this weekend.

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Thou Shall Not Kill
Egnirf Trof @ Murder… er, Redrum @ Fort Fringe

Remaining performances:
July 17 at 9:45 pm; July 19 at 2:15 pm

They say: “A collection of stimulating and comedic one-acts asking the question, ‘Can’t murder be innocent?’ Join a variety of imaginative characters portraying how naively one’s mind can contemplate murder. This show will challenge your own morals and leave you wanting more!”

Sheffy says: Remember how much fun you had in your Philosophy 101 class debating questions like: Is it ethical to kill someone in self-defense or in war? What about assassinating Hitler? If you could prevent someone from being killed, are you culpable if you don’t? Now imagine listening to that debate rehashed for 120 straight minutes. I get it, every scenario is unique, but to make your point, do you really need to beat it over the head with a brick (uh, literally)?

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Some shows were such hits last year, they’re back and better than ever this year (well, they’re back at any rate).

Here are the Fringe & Purge reviews from last year. Note:  Dates, times, and locations in the last year’s reviews have changed (duh!) so please see times posted below.

Bargain Basement Game Show–Warehouse Next Door, 7/16 @10pm, 7/18 @1pm, 7/24 @6pm

Children of Medea–Bedroom at Ft. Fringe, 7/16 @8:30pm, 7/17 @8:30pm, 7/19 @4:30pm, 7/25 @2:30pm

Diamond Dead (OK, I’m not sure if this is, ahem, a reincarnation, or the sequel)–Baldacchino Gypsy Tent, 7/18 @6:30pm, 7/19 @5:30pm, 7/22 @6, 7/25 @7:30

McSwiggin’s Pub–Goethe Institut,  7/18 @12:45, 7/24 @8pm, 7/25 @10:30pm

Dizzy Miss Lizzie’s Roadside Revue: The Oresteia–Church St. Theater, 7/17 @11pm, 7/18 @11pm, 7/19 @7&9pm,  7/24 @11pm, 7/25 @11pm, 7/26 @7&9pm

Revolutionary: Isadora Duncan’s Words, Music, Dance–Mt. Vernon United Methodist Church,  7/15 @7:30, 7/25 @11:30am

Sorry if I missed any, but I’m sure you’ll let me know…