Sub-Total
2023 Audience Reviews
Member Reviews
The following reviews were submitted by Fringe Member: Tim Erickson
Company: Lady Z Productions
Show: Choose Your Own Fringe Adventure
Venue: Mixed Blood Theatre
Good Effort
I love improv and love to see folks experimenting with improv. I appreciate the effort and enthusiasm that went into this show. However, I was a bit confused about the opening scene, which felt scripted. As the show shifted to improv it got a bit chaotic and sometimes cast members seemed to be working against each other or changing directions too often. There were many fun moments and I did enjoy myself.
Company: Viet Nguyen
Show: Reincarnation Soup
Venue: Southern Theater
Strong Performance
I came into the theater on Friday night a bit distracted and struggling to focus, but the strong performance kept pulling me back into the stories the performer was telling. Because of this, I don't think I appreciated the content in the show as much as I should/could have, but the strong perforamce was impossible to miss. I wish I had the opportunity to go back and watch this a second time.
Company: Paco Erhard
Show: 5-Step Guide to Being German
Venue: Rarig Center Thrust
German Humor
I have too many connections to Germany to not see this show and I was glad that I did. It's a solid hour of standup comedy on a topic that is close to my heart. It's not the fringiest of shows, whatever that means, but I think it's the kind of show that creates buzz outside of fringe circles and potentially brings some few faces to the fringe.
Company: Phina Pipia
Show: Ha Ha Da Vinci
Venue: Southern Theater
Exceptional Creativity
Such a fun, creative, and quirky show. I'm not sure what to add to everything that has been said already. This show had hints of street theater or something you might see at local library. I was most impressed by the integration of so many diverse elements into a single coherent family friendly show.
Company: Rogues Gallery Arts
Show: My Only Hope for a Hero
Venue: Southern Theater
Excellent
Duck Washington has been added to that list of performers that I will look for in future Fringes. This is a well written show with excellent delivery. It's a fun mix of personal experience and reflections on pop culture with a very direct call to action for the audience. This might have came off a bit preachy, but I think Duck walks the line and keeps it on the inspirational and entertaining side, which I appreciated. He certainly made me think about my own opportunities to be a (minor) hero and got me thinking about whether or not I stepped up or froze (from fear). I've not always been the hero I would like to be or responded to the needs of people around me as I'd like to think I would, I appreciated this opportunity to reflect on that for the future.
Company: Goddard's Gardens
Show: Open Mic at the DREAM Shop
Venue: Mixed Blood Theatre
Inspirational
Very much appreciate that the Fringe provides an opportunity to connect with groups like this one. I was unaware of the Dream Shop or it's open Mic night, but hope to visit them in the future. This show featured 4 peformers that shared some of what one might expect at the Dream Shop, a mix of poetry, spoken word, and music. I hope they come back to the Fringe next year and are able to build on the audiences from this year.
Company: Timothy Mooney Repertory Theatre
Show: Breakneck Midsummer Night’s Dream
Venue: Rarig Center Thrust
Fun Show
I saw this show on Friday night and very much enjoyed it, but did have a little trouble keeping track of a few of the players and plot points. Five actors played something like 18 parts (??). I followed enough to enjoy the show and have fun, but would have loved to debrief this show with a friend afterwards, but there was no time. ;-)
Company: Imaginary Podcast Network
Show: Let Me Say This About That
Venue: Rarig Center Xperimental
Liked and Subscribed!
I love improv, but sometimes pass on the improv shows at the Fringe, because many of them are available other times of the year. I'm not sure if this one will be back later, but if it is, I will go back to see it again and am happy to have included it in my plans for the final day of the Fringe. The two podcasters do have chemistry and worked so well together giving each other gifts and accepting and amplfying each others suggestions. Excellent use of physical props in an improv show. It's too late to see this show at this Fringe, but if you get another chance to see it, it's worth it.
Company: Shelter Repertory Dance Theatre
Show: Doline: Emerging into the Light
Venue: Mixed Blood Theatre
Essential Fringe Experience
This is the kind of show that I would never see outside of the Fringe. Every year, I try to make sure to include a show or two like this, that falls outside of my usual comedic improv frame of reference. This is a different kind of show being told with very different tools/methods. It's the availability of shows like this that make the Fringe magical for me and this show delivers on that promise. It's abstract, thoughtful and very well executed.
Company: David Stillman
Show: Grindr Help Desk: The Musical
Venue: Mixed Blood Theatre
Well Done
This show was well written and well executed. If you are reading the title and thinking, this sounds good, then I think this show was written for you and you'll be glad you came to see it. If you aren't sure what Grindr is, maybe not. This show is getting a lot of buzz. I saw it at 10:00 on Tuesday and it was the biggest audience I've seen yet this year. Will be a sell-out risk on Sunday.
Company: Boldly Go Productions
Show: Star Trek: The Next Improvisation - Presented by HUGE Theater
Venue: Rarig Center Thrust
Nano Technology, but Huge laughs
I've seen quite a few versions of this show at Huge Theater over the years and I hope they keep performing it long into the future. It's a fun concept. If you like improv and you like Star Trek, you won't regret this experience. Keep in mind that it's improv and some shows go better than others. Tonight (Mon night) wasn't the best I've seen, but it was fun and worth seeing. I'll probably be back for another episode before the end of the Fringe and with luck, again this fall when I'm told they will be performing it again.
Company: SECRET CULT
Show: OPERA PUNKS
Venue: Rarig Center Xperimental
Accoustic Issues?
GOOD NEWS: This group exuded energy and excitement. It was exciting just to be in the room with them. Visually, I could tell that they were excellent and putting on a great show. I loved watching them and their expressions on their faces. BAD NEWS: I could understand less than half of the show. For me, the music completely overpowered their voices and I could only understand a fraction of the show. This was hugely disappointing, because they looked so good and the most of the audience seemed to be enjoying the show. It's a small room and I was in the 4th row (Mon night). The cast was singing loudly enough, but their voices seemed to clash with the music (at least for me). When the music was quieter, I could understand just fine. I love improv and will go to see this group again at their fall run, because I think that with better sound this group will be awesome. Hopefully, the sound will be better for future shows, but to be safe try sitting up front where you might have more luck. There was tons of laughter in the room, so I know that not everyone was effected by the sound as much as I was.
Company: Team Rand-McKay
Show: Works in Progress
Venue: Theatre in the Round
Nice Work
This is a fun show with some interesting ideas, worth watching.
Company: Ghoulish Delights
Show: 5 Prisoners
Venue: Southern Theater
No Dilemma Here
This was my fourth show of this Fringe and the best I've seen so far. It was really well written, some of the themes were a bit abstract, but I love that stuff. The acting was excellent, as might be expected from this cast. Another highlight of the show, was the costume in the final scene. I highly recommend this show.
Company: Jacob and John Productions
Show: Apocalypse Later: I Love the Smell of Procrastination in the Morning
Venue: Augsburg Mainstage
Hill Too Steep?
This show was very close to being very good. The content was dense and generally well written and based upon interesting ideas. The performances had real promise. But, many of the jokes didn't quite land for me. The idea behind the LOTR sketch connected with me, but it didn't quite hit home. I can't help but wonder if the pace had been a little slower, if the show would have worked better. At points, it just felt like too much too fast.
Company: Monster Science Productions
Show: Monster Science's Greatest Hits
Venue: Augsburg Studio
Dinosaur Dinosaur Dinosaur
I don't think I've seen Rev Matt before, which is surprising given the number of fans who have seen him before, lined up to see his show. I saw episode #2, "Top 10 Dinosaurs." It's a really well written show and the delivery was quite good. I feel like this would have been a 5 kittie show in an initial run, but the delivery today didn't feel as fresh as it might have. What I liked best about this show, was the simple format of a nerd presenting a fun presentation on a topic he is passionate about. Inspires me to think that maybe I could one day write and peform in the Fringe myself. Good show to see with youngsters. If you have never seen Matt before, you'll have a hard time missing him at this years Fringe, since it seems he is in all the shows (3 of them).