Sub-Total
2023 Audience Reviews
Member Reviews
The following reviews were submitted by Fringe Member: Daniel Pinkerton
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Company: Ken Takata
Show: Butts in Seats: How to Get People to Attend Your Shakespeare Production by Having Musical Settings for the Lyrics in His Plays. Numerous Examples Included.
Venue: Mixed Blood Theatre
Interesting, but problematic
Takata is clearly a talented composer who sets Shakespeare's lyrics well, but there wasn't enough variety in the music. The night I saw it, almost all the songs were Mock Tudor or classical art songs, leavened only by one jazz song and one power-pop ballad. More annoying was that fact that there was far too much explanation (please, a few sentences of context about its place in the play, but no more) and the explanation was usually given by Takata while the singer was standing in back of him, waiting to sing (SO awkward). On top of it all, at the end of the show, he did not name the singers and let them take a bow. I'm sure they were working for very little money, so give them onstage credit, please!
Company: Timothy Mooney Repertory Theatre
Show: Breakneck Midsummer Night’s Dream
Venue: Rarig Center Thrust
Expertly done and lots of fun
Doing a 2 hour Shakespearian comedy with six performers in 59 minutes? Here's what you'll need: 1) a smart cutting, 2) skilled performers who can create and switch characters quickly; 3) people whose diction is flawless, so that you can catch as much of the dialogue as possible; 4) since it's a comedy; they'd better have good timing and physical comedic skills. This show has all of these things, and it's a delightful hour in the theatre. My only minor quibble: Mooney has written a clever rhyming prologue that has some laughs in it. I'm not sure it's absolutely necessary, and cutting it might allow perhaps a minute more of MND or a moment to breathe. Nonetheless, I highly recommend this show.
Company: Alchemy Arts
Show: When You Hear the Chime
Venue: Southern Theater
Surprising, fresh, sweet, moving
I would say that this show is not what I was expecting, but it was so original, nobody could have anticipated it. Two kids play at telling stories and exchanging feelings and being human. Some awfully big subjects get covered here, often using dance, song, and storytelling. I have seen Lester as a dancer, but had no idea he was such a strong, believable actor. Carey can sing, act, and write, but this is by far the most complex script I have seen from her. It's sophisticated and wise in the ways of the heart. I loved it.
Company: Kyle B. Dekker
Show: Audacious Ignatius: Lost in Atlantis
Venue: Theatre in the Round
Informative and entertaining
I had never heard of Donnelly. Dekker not only gave a great introduction to the man, but made it very clear why it's worth delving into his history. It was informative: for example, I never knew that the myth of Atlantis was a white supremacist trope. Dekker spins the narrative well. My interest never flagged and I laughed more than a few times.
Company: Mermaid Productions
Show: The Very Model of a Modern Monster Scientist
Venue: Augsburg Studio
Rev. Matt & Elora in top form
This show is selling out because it takes the Monster Science format and expands it, gaining more humor in the process. The focus is on Rev. Matt's frequent assistant, Elora Riley, and her meteoric rise to the height of Field Researcher at the Institute for Monster Science. The comedy sketches (written by the two of them) are every bit as laugh out loud funny as the slide show portions, and Riley has dry wit and comic timing to match Rev. Matt's -- and that's saying a lot. I advise you to make a reservation. You DON'T want to miss it.
Company: Clucklesworth Productions
Show: Pearl and Eugene: One Last Shtick
Venue: Mixed Blood Theatre
What the world needs now is schtick, more schtick
One part well-made play (and I mean that in the most complimentary sense) and one part sublime singing, dancing, and classic Jewish schtick by the peerless Nancy Marvy and Robert Dorfman. Will Pearl and Eugene go onstage one more time? Will they save their senior home from condo developers? We all know the answers, but we cheer them on every step of the way. Avi Aharoni and Robb Krueger contribute excellent support. Extra bonus: It is *not at all* patronizing toward seniors. Go see this and FEEL GOOD!
Company: Blinking Eye Theatre
Show: Romeo & Juliet Are Dead
Venue: Rarig Center Arena
Beautiful show
enjoyed this tale of Romeo and Juliet in the afterlife, with its lovely blank verse and skilled actors making it seem so natural. It could have been trimmed by a few minutes -- it seemed as if it made its point and then kept going. Much this is a minor quibble. The show is well worth seeing.
Company: Phil Gonzales / Raffish Ripoff Productions
Show: Lost In Bear Country: Birth, God, Death... and the Berenstain Bears
Venue: Rarig Center Xperimental
Insane, but in a good way!
No, Phil Gonzales isn't on speed. His body, brain, and mouth are just on hyperdrive. And yet it all makes sense, it's all deeply engaging, and the many big laughs come from a combination of his phenomenal ability to read a crowd and his skill at delivering truth in a hysterically funny and highly entertaining way. The show tackles big subjects (a few of which are in the title) through the lens of the Berenstain Bears, of all things, and Phil's life experiences and, um, personality traits. The particular subjects treated at any particular show depend on the spin of a wheel of fortune, and every show is different. Come see this highly original show and be prepared to emerge looking at Phil, the Berenstain Bears, and yourself in a new light.
Company: Gnarly Bard Theater Company
Show: Tales from the Fiefdom
Venue: Southern Theater
Great cast, charming material
This farce about medieval life is sometimes pretty broad, but so what? The music is catchy and the lyrics are often very clever, and broad humor of the dialogue can create big laughs. Besides, a cast that acts well and sings phenomenally really sells this show. The material is good, but the performers are the real reason to not miss Tales of the Fiefdom.
Company: The Shrieking Harpies
Show: The Shrieking Harpies
Venue: Rarig Center Arena
The Harpies have done it again!
Once again, the Shrieking Harpies started with a few words from the audience (in this case, frogs, cheese, and rainbow) and built a 55-minute musical about them. It was loopy, inventive, well sung, and I laughed a LOT. The show you see will be different from the one I saw, but I guarantee you will love it.
Company: Rogues Gallery Arts
Show: My Only Hope for a Hero
Venue: Southern Theater
Funny and so moving
The show starts out as a lighthearted reminiscence of what Duck considered a hero to be when he was a kid. Then he moves effortlessly into cultural, social, ethical, and deeply personal questioning of the definition and function of a hero. This is not some dry philosophical pursuit. Duck digs deeply into popular culture and his own action or inaction in his life, and the ending of the show is heartbreaking. Your whole life will be richer if you catch My Only Hope for a Hero.
Company: Kurkendaal Barrett Presentations
Show: Climbing my family tree
Venue: Rarig Center Thrust
The mysteries of family connections
Les Kurkendaal-Barrett is a glorious gift to the Fringe (and the world). His warm, witty stories always pull us into the rich details of a given subject and explore important subjects in a fascinating way. This time the subject is Les himself, and his search for a biological family he never really knew. He manages to find and visit his mysterious 99-year-old grandfather, and along the way, uncovers a lot of truths about families chosen and not chosen. Half a point taken off because if I wasn't in the second row, I never would have seen the visual material. I feel sorry for those in the back. But that's a quibble. See this show -- you'll laugh and feel better about the world.
Company: Wet Splat Productions
Show: 20,000 Leagues Under the Telltale Heart
Venue: Rarig Center Arena
Brilliant, silly
The concept (famous dead authors as slightly inept superheroes) was so Fringey, and the 1980s-style theme song was a hoot. The troupe improvised really well within the given scenario as they threw each other plot twists and the clock counted down to the end of the time slot. Gave it a 4 because it wasn't perfect, the live Foley sound didn't live up to its potential, and some authors (Dickens and Twain) were hardly used at all in the performance I saw. But I laughed a lot, and I recommend it.
Company: Paco Erhard
Show: 5-Step Guide to Being German
Venue: Rarig Center Thrust
Lots of energy, lots of laughs!
Paco Erhard is a terrific comic who commands the stage with loads of energy and charisma. Taking aim at the society and culture of Germany (and several other countries, including the US), he explores and explodes national myths. A native German, he has traveled and lived in numerous places around the world, which gives him a broadminded perspective on life. As a comedian with confidence and impeccable timing, he makes all of his points in ways that leave the audience (me included) roaring with laughter. I highly recommend this show!