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2026 Audience Reviews
Member Reviews
The following reviews were submitted by Fringe Member: Michaela Minock
Company: The Improv Movement Project
Show: Silent Movie!
Venue: Barbara Barker Center for Dance
Creative concept with great movement
Okay, so I didn't realize this show was going to be ENTIRELY improv. I saw that it mentioned improv in the description/tags, but it sounded like there was so much else going on, I assumed it was still somewhat scripted with improvised elements. Nope. 100% improv. I was actually trying to avoid improv shows this Fringe; it's not quite my thing and it wasn't what I wanted to spend my limited Fringing time on. BUT once I was at the show, I didn't want to seem like a jerk and leave partway through, so I stayed for the whole thing. And I must admit, I am incredibly impressed by how they attempted to improvise, without words, an hourlong "movie" complete with different camera shots, flashbacks, thought bubbles, and other cinematographic techniques. I especially liked how they would "zoom in" by having the actors in a scene move closer to the audience while other actors framed them. At the show I attended, the concept for the "movie" was a One Last Job space epic starring Luke. Although all of the actors were identified in the opening movie credits, it was not enough for me to actually know anyone's name, so all actors besides Luke will be here on out identified by their physical characteristics. As is always a difficulty when dealing with improv, or with nonverbal things, and especially with improvised nonverbal things, it was hard to figure out what the actors were trying to do with the plot. I could never figure out what Bandana Girl's character was doing or what the relationship to Luke was - I think he was rescuing her? But she was on a mission to do something in Three More Days, Or Else, but I don't know what it was she had to do. At some point, Shoulder Tattoo Guy, playing Luke's young child, found Something of Importance on a chair, but I don't know what he had found - a creature? A communications device? A valuable item that the bad guys were after? So, I was not totally following the plot, and it was very taxing to try, so I stopped focusing on the story line and just thought of it like a dance, which I love. Observing it more as abstract movement made it much more palatable to me. The actors did very interesting things with their bodies in order to portray different things, and I loved watching the ways they moved. There were some actors who played their characters with such heart that I want to call them out. First, I loved the interactions between Man Bun Locs and Shoulder Tattoo Guy. The Tough Gruff Guy who discovers love upon helping a sweet child? Beautiful. Second, Pink Hair and Princess Leia Hair did an amazing job as some sort of alien chicken creatures. It was so fun to watch their antics, and they disappeared into the characters so well, one could almost forget that they were regular humans and not actual aliens. If you are a big fan of improv, you will probably enjoy it. If you are not, the ambition of "let's make up a movie on the spot with no words" might be too much for you. But the actors were making great choices and showing the incredible power of movement, and I commend them for that.
Company: Melancholics Anonymous
Show: Watership Down
Venue: Rarig Stoll Thrust Theatre
Great for fans and non-fans alike
When I saw that there was going to be a Fringe show of Watership Down, I immediately knew I had to add it to my schedule. My husband is a huge fan of the book - he even put a copy of it on our wedding registry. Meanwhile, I have never read it. We both went to see it, and both of us enjoyed it! According to my husband, this adaptation gave it a more "action movie" feel than the slower, more meandering book, which he didn't like as much but understood would be necessary to make it an engaging and short theatre piece. With the knowledge that it had to be shorter to fit Fringe requirements, he approved of which scenes from the book were used and which were not. He also appreciated how the show adapted some of the characters to change some of the more problematic elements, making them more noble and less selfish. Now on to me: with no prior experience with the book, I was able to look at it with fresh eyes and no expectations. I found the story to be charming and very heartfelt. However, the pacing felt slow - maybe it was just because it was 10:00 at night, but the show seemed to drag on. Additionally, the songs were few and short, so calling it a true "musical" feels like a stretch. But, the songs were fun, and the choreography was intricate and well-planned. The actors did a great job taking on mannerisms to suggest rabbits, and they played their characters earnestly. I particularly loved the bluster of Samantha Miller as Bigwig. One thing I did not like about the musical was the use of handheld colored lights at certain points; they helped punctuate some of the big moments of the show but ultimately I wasn't sure what the point of them was and didn't feel they added much. The only scene where they really added was when the cast turned them red for Fiver's realization in the Roof of Bones scene. Overall, Watership Down was a sweet and sincere work with amazing imagination, and probably one of the best kid-friendly shows at the Fringe this year, although maybe not the most groundbreaking or entertaining shows in the Festival as some of the other reviews might suggest. Worth your time if you are interested in movement, animals, interesting character work, and/or literature!
Company: Rituparna Rana
Show: The Shape of Home
Venue: Rarig Nolte Xperimental Theatre
Absolutely exquisite dancing!
This show was beautiful and engaging the whole way through. Rituparna Rana's technique as a dancer was clearly on display for everyone to see - the control, the precision, the specificity of the body shapes and hand mudras. I was even more impressed, though, by the emotion and expressiveness she demonstrated during the dancing, pulling you into her movement. At one point in the show, we made eye contact, and it felt like my soul was leaving my body as it connected with hers! The show is intercut with short pre-recorded vignettes to give some context and provide grounding for the dancing, which I appreciated because dance is such an abstract art form, and especially so when it is a style one is less familiar with watching. I wish I knew more about the symbolism of some of the gestures in Indian classical dancing so that I could have perhaps read into the richness of the movement a bit more. I would have liked if the show had provided a program with some show notes, such as which specific style(s) of dancing were being displayed. But overall, I loved simply getting the chance to witness the beauty of the dancing. One of my favorite parts of the show was when Rana explained how she has been dancing almost her entire life and how for her, dance is not merely something to do or perform, but a home to return to. She was truly at home in her dancing, and I hope this "home" of hers gets the recognition it deserves!