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2026 Audience Reviews
Member Reviews
The following reviews were submitted by Fringe Member: Michaela Minock
Company: an alleged Theatre Company
Show: FAST Death of a Salesman
Venue: Rarig Stoll Thrust Theatre
Very relatable!
I read Death of a Salesman about 10 years ago in a college theatre class, and I wasn't a huge fan. The finer nuance of the story has since escaped me. Despite that, I loved this show and found myself laughing hilariously! I teach elementary schoolers, and found the depiction of 10-year-old Braedyn far too realistic - the casual slouch, the constantly eating Takis, the lack of any recognition that you are even talking to him. That is 100% what it is like trying to deal with some of these kids these days! But, I also felt the pain of Dr. Didier's desire to connect with him and feeling completely shut out as Braedyn grows up and no longer places the same value on their relationship. I have felt that way with friends, with my brother, and with my students, and I dread the day it may happen with, perhaps, my best friend's son or my own future children. It's hard to watch people to whom you were once close move on without you, and to try to remind them that you are still here and still caring for them. This play actually made me wish that I was more familiar with the actual Death of a Salesman, as I vaguely picked up on the idea that Dr. Didier's crisis was supposed to be a reflection of Willy Loman's crisis, but I would have appreciated it more with a deeper familiarity with the play. The other actors, all taking their own unique spin on the play, were also hilarious. I loved them all. The "brain rot" sequence towards the end was one of the funniest things I saw all Fringe and perfectly captured the absurdity of entertainment - and life! - today. Also for a fun Easter egg, read the cast and crew bios.
Company: rick rhobajt widen
Show: Socks & Shoes & Coats
Venue: Barbara Barker Center for Dance
Only Fringe show that made me cry
This was a beautiful piece that left me in tears by the end. The show juxtaposed the unique difficulties of raising a child with special health issues with the mundane aspects of parenthood. It was a reminder that even in the midst of tragic circumstances, everyday life still happens as usual. Maya Pantanowitz and Kiran Arquin were incredibly believable as both a couple and as new parents. The dialogue and songs were witty and poignant, and the show never seemed to drag. The show ended on an ambiguous note of what is actually happening to the child, which was simultaneously hopeful and devastating. I liked how the show used very generic terminology to create an "everyman"play (ex. the dad was working on Project, the baby is named Child) although I thought it was strange and clunky that the main characters are officially named "Spouse" and "Partner." Why give them different, non-equivalent words, instead of "Spouse 1" and "Spouse 2" or "Partner 1" and "Partner 2?" Or why not go with "Wife" and "Husband" or "Mother" and "Father?" Based on the language and content in the play (pregnancy and the implication the child was conceived the traditional way, referring to "my wife" etc), it doesn't seem that it was done solely for gender-neutral considerations, so why not go with more natural language? But aside from this little quibble, I thought this show was so beautifully moving and I loved it!
Company: Twin Cities Trapeze
Show: Tapeze - a la seconde
Venue: The Southern Theater
BEST SHOW IN THE FRINGE!
When this show ended, I sat in my seat, pulled out my phone, and immediately texted all of my Fringe friends telling them they had to go see it. There was never a dull moment in the entirety of the show! I was on the edge of my seat, bouncing along to the music and the vibrant performance (sorry to anyone sitting around me!). No shade to my director, but I wished I had been in this show in the Fringe instead of my own! The show is billed as a mix of tap dance and trapeze, but it turned out to be a blend of many other styles of dance and circus arts instead, including acrobatics, ballet, and juggling. I was impressed with the diversity of the performers - the first people on stage were children, but then the second number was full of older performers, some of whom must have been at least in their sixties. They varied in skill level, but the choreography was done so expertly that even those with less technical prowess still added to the show and were able to showcase their skills. The juxtaposition of all the different dance and circus styles felt fresh and creative - who would have ever thought to put all of these together? The show had a little bit of a "recital" feel to it, but I love dance recitals so I'm not complaining. Overall, the show was an incredible celebration of movement arts and had incredibly high energy. If you don't see any other Fringe show, go see this one!
Company: Tyler West
Show: Small Minded
Venue: The Southern Theater
Funny but also thought-provoking and paradoxical
I am so glad I went to see this show, which Tyler and Cleo obviously put a lot of work and thought into. It was fun and at times hilarious! However, it also dove into the difficult question of, how do you reconcile a genuine love for performing with the ways in which performing can be exploitative? - a question which I think most performers have to grapple with at some point, although it certainly affects some groups, such as those with disabilities, more than others. The issue was addressed deftly, in such a way that you were able to sit thoughtfully with it rather than feel hammered-over-the-head. The show also provided some education - I learned that the vast majority of achondroplasia cases are NOT inherited! - and included many different styles of entertainment, showcasing Tyler's incredible skill and range as a performer! This show had everything - emotion, education, silliness, seriousness, juggling, magic, dancing, acrobatics, impressions, Star Wars references - and I am so glad I decided to watch it!
Company: MN Moving Arts Dance Ensemble
Show: Noise
Venue: Barbara Barker Center for Dance
Beautiful dancing!
I really wanted to give this show a full 5 cats, but held back due to some minor technical mistakes from the dancers - occasionally being off timing, landing turns poorly, not-sharp lines, etc. However, I was seeing them in a 10:00 show, so perhaps some grace should be given for being tired. Overall, the dancers were well-trained, with beautiful expression in their movement. This show is a pretty standard contemporary dance work - I wouldn't say it broke any new ground, but it was gorgeous and enjoyable to watch. As a dancer myself, I was disappointed that there were not more dance shows in the Fringe this year, but Noise did a wonderful job of taking on the mantle of being one of the few representatives of dance. This is what I come to Fringe to see!
Company: Ari Hoptman
Show: Is That Why?
Venue: American School of Storytelling
Speller Approved!
I am a big "word nerd" due to my extensive history with spelling bees, including participating in the Scripps National Spelling Bee twice many years ago. I love etymology and language quirks. This show blew me out of the water! Ari extemporaneously explained many words in short vignettes, with each one punctuated by a punchline, not in the sense that it was funny (although sometimes it was!) but just in the sense that with one line, suddenly all these different ideas would come together and make sense, and you felt your mind being blown. The short, rapid-fire nature of each explanation felt like watching a series of short-form videos on social media - if Ari wants to, he could do numbers on TikTok or Instagram. This show was entertaining, engaging, and educational, but never felt cheesy or contrived. I loved it! I would also say it is appropriate even for younger children, although perhaps they would need to already have an interest in words and language to enjoy it. A must-see for anyone who loves language!
Company: Old Dog Theatre Company
Show: Guy For Now
Venue: Rarig Nolte Xperimental Theatre
Idk what I was expecting, but it wasn't this
I went into Guy For Now completely blind as to what it was; I had an open slot in my Fringe schedule and chose this mainly because it said it was appropriate for children, and while I am not a child, I don't always appreciate the Dark Edgy stuff so I figured if it was good for kids, it would also be good for me. Each scene was incredibly engaging, keeping me on the edge of my seat. The characters were incredibly bold and larger-than-life, with the actors showing an impressive dedication to their roles. It was, at times, laugh-out-loud funny. However, I had No Idea what was going on. I was continually waiting for sense to be made out of all the little scenes, and no sense was forthcoming. Things didn't come together; I have no clue if there was an overarching plot or what the takeaway was - just something about using your imagination I guess? My personal theory is that Guy was the OC of the stage manager/techie character, who was trying him out in different stories, a few of which were even self-inserts. I really don't know. I still give 4 kitties, because of how expertly performed it all was, even with the show making no sense whatsoever.
Company: Narate Keys
Show: An Earth Goddess (Preah Mae Thorani)
Venue: The Southern Theater
Great music/dancing, not sure what was going on
I loved this show for the earnestness and heartfelt nature of its performers. The show was creative and unique, with a fun mix of storytelling, acting, song, and dance. I particularly enjoyed the catchy hip hop song "Surf and Turf" which felt like something Lin-Manuel Miranda would have come up with. However, I have no idea what the plot was or even if there was a throughline plot. Scenes seemed to happen disjointedly, and it was unclear if they related to each other. Another show I've seen this Fringe is "Guy for Now," and this reminded me of that, in that there were many individual charming scenes, but I had No Idea what was going on overall. Of the two shows, "Guy For Now" is better in terms of acting and dance technique and is a much tighter, cleaner production, but I personally found "An Earth Goddess" more fun and enjoyable to watch. Shout out to Jame See Yang and Kris Moua as the main characters Samutra and Mu Mu, who were by far the best actors and delivered an engaging performance. I was also impressed by Diana Yang's costuming, with each outfit being unique and gorgeous! Finally, one of my favorite things about the show was the juxtapostion of ancient setting and story with modern language and references. It made me feel so much more connected to the past and realize that, even in drastically different places and times, people are still just people. I may not have lived in Angkor 900 years ago, but I don't think I am that drastically different from those who did. We could still have played, joked, and had fun together. In a world where it is so easy to "other" people from different times and places, this is a revolutionary idea, and one I think we need more of.
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!