2024 Audience Reviews

Company: Broken Wing Productions
Show: The Wind Phone
Venue: The Ribs of Humanity at Campbell Plaza

Beautiful concept

The music was perfect for an outdoor space. Standouts to me were the understudy Wini (she immediately felt like such a real and knowable person, and her interaction with the wind phone was my favorite), as well as Boo!

Company: Pretend Productions
Show: Daddy Issues
Venue: Phoenix Theater

Allison is so talented and lovable

Company: Francesca Montanile Lyons
Show: VILE
Venue: Open Eye Theatre

Unlike anything else

This was the first show I thought of when I heard there was an award for “Fringe-iest show”. It’s bold, defiantly. It’s relatable, but unique, and it’s worth the price of admission just to see how she eats pizza. For me, the fairy was cuttingly clever, dark, DARK humor, which was very hard to laugh out loud at (but that’s ok, too!) I love that there’s a mind out there that comes up with an idea like this entire show. The Jerry Seinfeld bit alone knocked me on my ass, figuratively. However, I don’t feel that the show ended on a very strong note which was disappointing. Also, the phone screen was very hard to read if you’re not sitting really close.

Company: Playabunga Productions
Show: The Life Robotic
Venue: Mixed Blood Theatre

stupid (in the best way) fun

So funny! Rita was a real standout. The only slight bummer is that Michael as the robot can’t say any of his own lines, and he’s very funny. Really fun way to get the audience involved - it was so exciting to hear your text get read haha. Go see it, it’s fun!

Company: Michael Rogers
Show: As Above, So Below
Venue: Barbara Barker Center for Dance

Amazing, relatable but still surprising

For the first few minutes of the show, I had this kind of manic out-of-body experience where I was like “wait, was this written for me? Was this written BY me?” It was just so deeply relatable. As the show went on, of course, the story became totally Michael’s, and I could’ve watched him onstage for another hour. His use of physicality to tell his story added SO much — something that in another performer could look like saccharine slam-poetry nonsense looks so natural and believable on Michael. I loved the simplicity and light touch with the use of props, music, etc. Even though the show is deeply sad, it was weirdly beautiful to get to cry with Michael Rogers.

Company: Theatre On The Rocks
Show: A Horse Walks Out Onto the Stage and Dies
Venue: Phoenix Theater

It was really good!

Man, I really wanted to love this one as much as everyone else! I enjoyed the comedy a lot, particularly at the moments with audience participation. However, I felt the performance, while very earnest and heartfelt, was bigger than the actual depth/significance of the written words, and that mismatch made the tragedy of it come off a bit hollow. While I think the self pity vibe was completely real to the character, I agree with other reviewers that it’s a tough tone to take for forty minutes straight (as an audience member). That being said: l laughed, I cried, I would recommend seeing it, I can’t wait to see what this guy does next.

Company: Jamie Brickhouse
Show: I Favor My Daddy: A Tale of Two Sissies
Venue: Open Eye Theatre

Legitimately poignant!

Very cool idea for a storytelling show. There were several times I thought the show was over, and honestly a few of those times I think the show could have ended (particularly that one blackout!)

Company: Rebecca Wickert
Show: Seance Sisters
Venue: Strike Theater

It was cooooooooool!

I love a show within a show! I got to go onstage! Thank you for introducing me to this story. All three actors were incredibly talented in their role. My only tiny note was that some of the scenes near the end could’ve been tightened up, I felt the point was made several times over.

Company: Linnea Bond
Show: Heart Ripped Out Twice And So Can You!
Venue: Barbara Barker Center for Dance

ugly crying in silence (compliment)

Probably my favorite so far at Fringe. There was a moment when I swear she made eye contact with me while my face was fully wet with tears and it took everything within me to not audibly sob. I knew I was going to have a lot of feelings with this one, but damn she got me soooooo good. Such a clever idea, my only tiny thing was I wish she utilized the power point thing more! Will see again if emotionally available~

Company: an alleged Theatre Company
Show: A First-Class Comedic Revue… Featuring the Reanimated Corpse of a Wright Brother
Venue: Phoenix Theater

Just fun!

No notes, no spoilers, just go have a good time

Company: Eye of Jupiter Theatre
Show: The Greenhouse
Venue: The Southern Theater

idk!

What a perfect venue for this show. I really loved the first few minutes, it was giving Midsommar~, and it put me in a nice little meditative state — so I found myself wishing the rest of the show was like that. Once the dialogue/scenes began it was hard to keep my attention. For me, the powerful aura of the first and last scenes weren’t really matched by the vibes of the more typical play scenes. I also find the tag of “modern dance” a little misleading, there wasn’t really dance.

Company: Shambles Theatre Company
Show: Good Ones
Venue: HUGE Improv Theater

Is this review doing the work?

I was always planning to see this show because I will attend and throw money at anything Luke Fanning does, but I honestly wasn’t sure I would connect with it (no shade, just not the most familiar with the art of clowning) - then I kept hearing rave reviews, then I went, and the show totally lived up to the hype. I truly think Luke is a one of a kind talent in the Twin Cities, and all three performers were so fun and fascinating to watch. Everything from the costumes to the structure to the meta-y moments was so thought out and executed so well. Can’t wait to see what this crew does next!

Company: The Other Jeannie Retelle
Show: Becoming My Mother: The Other Origin Story
Venue: HUGE Improv Theater

I laughed, I cried

The voice over stories from Spencer’s mom and the photographs literally made me cry! The pacing was so strong, the GRWM vibes of doing make up while storytelling, the lip syncs, all so good and fun

Company: Smartmouth Comedy Company
Show: In Our Sketch Era
Venue: HUGE Improv Theater

Hilarious!!!

The woman who played (spoiler alert!) the Easter bunny and did the grandpa song was so funny and talented!!! Cameron as Scooter Braun was so great, and both women in the scene about Taylors riders were amazing. Everyone did great and I loved the pop culture references and smart writing

Company: WonderJ Studio
Show: Janelle Did You Know You Talk Really Fast?
Venue: Barbara Barker Center for Dance

Janelle and Ryan are charming fun!

Janelle is so lovable and her and Ryan have amazing chemistry together. I love how much Janelle loves what she loves and that’s fun to watch. Come for the pop culture, stay for the pop culture!