Sub-Total
2023 Audience Reviews
Member Reviews
The following reviews were submitted by Fringe Member: Hedy Rand-McKay
Company: Alchemy Arts
Show: When You Hear the Chime
Venue: Southern Theater
Clearly a Labor of Love
I was so charmed by these two at the preview that I vowed to befriend them at the festival this year and was unsuccessful BUT I did get the chance to see the show and I think it was a masterful way to showcase their individual talents. I wish that they’d done more of exactly that. The singing and dancing were incredible, breathtaking even, and one or two (or three) more songs would have been very welcome. I saw the closing performance and I could tell exactly how much these two really felt gratified at the opportunity to get on stage and tell a story. The chemistry was what you’d expect from married people. I think I would have loved it if they were playing a bit older. Still thinking about the pink feathery Rumplestiltzkin coat, which has dominated my thoughts for the last 24 hours.
Company: Rogues Gallery Arts
Show: My Only Hope for a Hero
Venue: Southern Theater
A Beautifully Written Call to Action
This show really offers up a lot of depth and a lot of vulnerability too, giving the audience some opportunities lots of laughs but not at the expense genuine introspection into our own moments of hesitation where we could have made the conscious choice to be a hero and the chance to reflect on what the cost is when we choose not to (sometimes life and death, dramatically). Even though I’ve known Duck for several years now, shows like this one still make me feel a bit starstruck to be around him because he is such a natural performer and seems so completely comfortable and in his element on the stage - it’s like he’s talking directly and individually to every audience member. Each vignette within the show transitions perfectly into the next, which is a sign that his director is just as skilled. His set pieces were charming and simple but the added visual elements worked great. It’s closed out now, so you’ll no longer have a chance to see it, but I am grateful to have had the opportunity.
Company: Timothy Mooney Repertory Theatre
Show: Breakneck Midsummer Night’s Dream
Venue: Rarig Center Thrust
Whimsical and Well...Dreamy
This is (I hate to admit it) my first time seeing any iteration of A Midsummer Night's Dream and I think this may be my new preferred method of consuming Shakespeare. It was very efficient, which seems to be the point, or at least one of the points, and the cast really meant business. I loved how they sort of stashed their costume pieces in the trees. They worked together with the precision of a marching band and while the show itself was fast, I had no trouble at all following the plot, catching the dialogue, and enjoying the ride. Alison Anderson, who played many parts in this, gave me some great advice when consuming a different Shakespeare show which is: to not focus so much on what's being said or how it's being said, but rather to just let the words wash over you and pay attention to the acting and the story more than anything else, which has really increased my enjoyment of the Bard. It's a simple and sparse production, so the acting is what makes this one feel so special. It ran a teeny bit long, but it was the final slot of the night so that was no problem for me - just be careful if you're planning to travel to a remote venue afterward. And it bears repeating since I disclose it in all my reviews, although I've already made it obvious: I have a friend in this cast.
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Company: EnCompass Theatre
Show: Funny, Like an Abortion
Venue: Rarig Center Arena
Dystopian Fallopian Fallout
Shows like this can often feel like they're preaching to the converted as the arts community tends to lean politically liberal, and this one was maybe 60% that, but it's still often important to provide the information to anyone who may be stepping outside of their comfort zone and challenging those in the audience who otherwise aren't seeking out content on reproductive justice. It was, let's say, interesting to learn about different methods of home abortion that desperate people have resorted to when needing to terminate a pregnancy. The two actors were skilled and had believable chemistry as close friends, but among the many lessons they teach us, the final one ought to have been: do not have sex with men who won't buy you tampons when you're menstruating, an infraction that Tyler (or Kyle? I don't remember the boyfriend's name) was mentioned to have committed. Moments of comic relief broke tension, but I think it would have been alright to let us sit with those moments of discomfort a bit more - it's okay, maybe even good and preferable, for art to make us uncomfortable. I appreciated that numerous resources were provided in the program.
Company: Two Minnie Cooks
Show: New Origins: Beauty and the Beast
Venue: Rarig Center Thrust
Interesting Concept
I thought this was a great idea for a show that could have used another week of workshopping. There was great attention to costuming and staging and the actors were all very committed, but the songs felt a bit lacking and often seemed to be just regular dialogue put to music rather than having the traditional elements of a musical number that you'd expect from something inspired by a Disney piece. A couple of them had catchy moments, but none were especially memorable. However, I really enjoyed the live accompaniment and the inventive use of rotating panels. I'm also a huge fan of Kaz Fawkes, who has such a beautiful, powerhouse voice and had a marvelous turn as both a villain and a hero in the show (as did Drew Atwood). It was an interesting bit of reverse engineering to explain why Gaston as we know him is so vile and why the Beast is sympathetic and redeemable. Might be a fun one to take kids to, although there's a fair amount of innuendo - I suppose that's the case with many Disney movies anyway.
Company: Nightfall Productions
Show: Fargo Allegro
Venue: Rarig Center Thrust
Incredibly Staged Adaptation
This is a pretty loyal adaptation of the film, which is on the Writers Guild of America's 101 Greatest Screenplays list (watching through this was one of my weird little manic pixie pandemic hobbies), so a tightened-up version is bound to be a reasonably good starting point for a show, especially with the local flavor and hometown pride, but this one really shines in terms of staging and production value. It's nothing short of beautiful, inventive, brilliant, with two dedicated stage hands basically doing rhythmic gymnastics with tulle snow and stage blocks in austere grey costumes. There's some great foley, projection design, and prop work that really make this feel like a high-level show. It was a delight to see each new technique revealed. And there's a PIT ORCHESTRA. Or a trio, or quartet, I couldn't tell, and at one point what sounds like an ominous men's choir? Singing hauntingly from the basement? The actors are all great and well-cast in their roles, and somehow not completely cracking each other up. Also, how on earth did you coordinate rehearsal schedules with this many talented people? It's a shame that half the theater was empty, but I can't imagine that will remain the case for the rest of the run. Make it a point to add this to your schedule. It's the best show I've seen so far this year. NOTE: I have a friend in this show.
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Company: Lady Chamberlain Productions
Show: 4 Bisexuals and 2 Guys Named John Kill Dracula
Venue: Rarig Center Arena
Delivers Exactly What’s Promised
This show contains the friend group of my younger, cooler self’s dreams. A bunch of well-accessorized people with family money, too many college degrees, and vaguely defined romantic connections to each other do indeed kill Dracula, who by the way is having the time of his life with that cape and we’re all so happy for him. Inventive to use scene transitions to such comedic effect (and economical too). Moments of pure evocative horror when a cellphone breaks and when butter is slathered on a bare chest (nothing that actually qualifies as “horror” horror) provide interesting insight into our collective unconscious in 2023, which is just enough depth to make one ponder. In any case, it’s the largest collective gasp I’ve had at the festival thus far. Some of the staging was difficult to see from the back as it happened at floor level (a lot of laying down), so I missed a bit of the action from my seat - I recommend snagging one toward the front, but I was with a bigger group and we all wanted to sit together in one long uninterrupted line. Anyway, I keep hearing vague threats that this will become a sell-out closer to the end of the festival so I tried to cram it in. It’s some goofy fun to share with a room full of people. I know zero of the people in this show and they all did great!
Company: Pat O'Brien
Show: "Starved": The Astonishing True Story of the University of Minnesota Starvation Experiment
Venue: Augsburg Mainstage
Wish it Could Have Been Longer!
This show has the potential to be quite powerful. As it is, there are a lot of short scenes that don't quite leave enough time for the audience to adequately connect with the characters - something that I think is even more important than normal in a show that's got such a serious subject matter and which depicts actual historical people. I think that this could easily be twice as long. The cast slants heavily male, which is a product of the subject matter, but I'd really love to have seen all of the characters fleshed out a bit more (forgive the turn of phrase, I'm a comedian at heart). There's a huge amount of attention given to props and set pieces, even so far as having actors eating actual food which I found to be a nice touch considering that the actors eating the real food aren't portraying subjects of the experiment. Those portraying subjects subsist entirely on imaginary food. The cast did a great job of building intensity as the show progressed. There seemed to be a bit of a tech issue toward the end, but what's a Fringe show without one. I hope that more people take the opportunity to see this show, and I hope that the producers consider remounting and giving this the runtime that it deserves. NOTE: I have a friend on the cast of this show.
Company: Wet Splat Productions
Show: 20,000 Leagues Under the Telltale Heart
Venue: Rarig Center Arena
Come for the Costumes, Stay for the Foley
This is an enjoyable show that makes you want to find five friends and form an improv group. The costumes range from rather modest to OTT and really seem to match delivery for many of the actors. Some were quite restrained while on the other hand some broke on stage, which an audience (almost) always loves - they did tonight, anyway! I’d guess that the historical part of this is pretty much begins and ends with “these are people who existed and corresponded” which is fine because it is very clear that this group of performers has a lot of fun together, which makes it fun to watch. The live foley was a great addition, and of course the “opening credits” of the show are something we all loved and were eagerly hoping to see again. And those wondering how scripted versus improvised the show is should simply attend a second time to see if it’s different. If they’re writing a new show each night, that’s still impressive.
Company: Six Elements Theatre
Show: Kill B: The Epilogue
Venue: Augsburg Mainstage
Left Wanting More
This show has a fantastic cast that was underutilized. It clocked in at about 35 minutes and I might have left a bit grumpy if I hadn't gotten in with my artist pass. There's a great big fight scene that was the highlight of the show, some costumes that pay homage to the source material, actual furniture (an apparent trend emerging in things that I find exciting this year), a half-basket of Easter eggs (including a fish sculpture named Emilio, RIP), and a script that otherwise focuses on answering questions the audience hadn't really thought to ask and bringing back the dead in confusing, unexplained ways. Chunks of dialogue were completely lost in the sound cues and everything needed a bit more room to breathe, including the audience in the front row - some of those weapons got close! In a short show, there was definitely the opportunity to give us a bit more. If nothing else, just add in some more of that incredible combat that we all love from Six Elements Theater. This would probably be a good one to add to your schedule if the show immediately following is one at a further off venue - Phoenix, Strike, or Crane. You'll have time for the commute and can still fill a slot. There were a couple of good belly laughs, too. NOTE: I have friends involved in this production.
Company: Phoenix Theater
Show: Phoenix Presents
Venue: Phoenix Theater
How to Kill a Horse (You Really Learn!)
This is such an ambitious solo show and, as was the consensus of the group of friends I saw it with, it is so Fringey. My strategy this year seems to be (so far) see the weird stuff first. You should too, because it's the weird stuff that picks up momentum and becomes harder and harder to pack into your schedule if you're one of the spreadsheet girlies (or fellas or nonbinary buddies). How to Kill a Horse has everything: song and dance; mime; a Barbie (how timely!) and what appeared to be old WWE Attitude Era wrestling figures?; karaoke; a jump scare that possibly only actually scared me; dressage AND costume changes; and indeed a lesson on how to kill a horse with audience participation and a prize (valued at $3ish dollars is my estimate). There's a ton of information, plenty of which is depressing and some of which is very dry tax law, but Rob found a way to add some much needed moments of levity among talk of some of the more depraved acts of humanity. The powerpoint slides were informative and the tech really added a lot of production value. I also love that the Phoenix has a big comfy lobby and a huge variety of beverage and snack options. It's worth making the trek over for this show! Heed the content warnings, which are also reiterated at the top. RESUBMITTING TO ADD: I also want to disclose that I know Rob and he’s a friend.
Company: The World Crime League
Show: Uncle Walt
Venue: Augsburg Mainstage
Disney Adults Find Their Telltale Head
This show is Peak Fringe and a good first one back at the festival. It's unexpected in concept and quirky, with some funny bits and the always-classic Cain and Abel story. Some opening night jitters kept it from really shining, but by the end of its run the ensemble cast's chemistry will be electric. Each actor has their own sort of charisma and charm that complement each other wonderfully. You can tell that the actors had a good time getting their teeth into this show. A couple of points off came from mismatched blood effects - some quite realistic and some a bit flat; maybe that's nit-picky, but the former really drew attention to the latter. I also had possibly the worst seat in the house. The lid of the cooler fully blocked an actor's face for what felt like about 20% of the show - don't make my mistake! Either be very tall or avoid sitting stage right, second row, third seat from the left. Despite those minor bellyaches, it was fun to see with some good violence effects, some tension, some humor, and a quite elaborate set for a Fringe show - a real couch? In this economy?? NOTE: I know two people involved with this show.