Allegro

Captivating

Excellent debut by Garrison Shea. Not only did he write and perform in this show, I learned he created the music as well. The attention to detail is present all the way through. One can tell that the art had a lot of intention behind it. The concept is fresh, the story is touching, and the performances were outstanding. No more than 10 minutes in, I began to feel that familiar feeling that comes with viewing great plays wherein you forget that everyone is acting and what you are viewing is fiction. It had me fully immersed until the end.

Best of the Fringe!

This show was incredible!! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Moving and funny!

What a great show! It is moving, poignant, and funny all at the same time. Great writing, great music, and great performances. Don't miss this one!

High Concept, Very Original

The idea that only certain people can hear the music of your emotions was compelling and the soundtrack itself with its integration into the plot was truly wonderful. This is not your typical Fringe musical but you will leave just as happy & satisfied. One kitty shy of five per the voiceover and live onstage spoken dialog was sometimes challenging to hear (yes, it is a very large performance space and I made the mistake of not sitting right up front...) + I found the mimed door opening/closing at the periphery upon characters entering/exiting rooms distracting.

Loved it!

I liked that the voiceover + music made it feel like a film and I enjoyed the music. I found the characters believable and relatable. Cool lighting effects. I didn't notice any plot holes another reviewer talked about. I did have to listen closely at times when spoken words were quiet. Recommend you see this and sit near the front.

Enjoyable and kept me engaged

Enjoyed the unique premise and the narrative kept me engaged. I had trouble hearing the dialog on some of the recorded tracks, so felt a bit lost at a couple points.

This is what Fringe is for

First timer Garrison defines why Fringe is available and important. He crafter a compelling story and staged it with some great talent. I assume restricted by the time limit; he still made it work. I look forward to seeing this fully developed show in the future (hopefully very soon). It helps that Ben (Garrison) is super cute :-) I hope to see more of him and his work in upcoming festivals.

Excellent Show on the Power of Music

I wasn't expecting to see a treatise on the importance of scoring, but that's what I got. Great use of comedy throughout out as well, though the show itself is certainly a drama. A wonderful surprise gem worth your time.

High concept - needs some plot work

What a great concept: the musical score is actually a character in this work. And Ben's inner music aligns so very well with the plot points. I would wish for some rethinking of Ben's breakdown and his apology scene. Not very believable that Karina would keep letting him 'try' (over and over) to apologize. Though the ending was very moving when she could finally 'hear the music.'

Loved the uniqueness of this show!

My grandson and I both enjoyed this show. We came not quite knowing what it would be about and was happily surprised with the uniqueness and humor we experienced. Glad we went!~

Good Concept, the Execution Needs Work

I did like the concept of the show. I feel like it has good bones but needs better execution. I walked into the show very intrigued and wanted to like it due to the description, but it just wasn’t well done. Having so much voiceover really took me away from the show. I presume I understand why they made that choice - timing and volume with the pre-recorded soundtrack - but I felt like I was watching actors mime onstage because they didn’t know what else to be doing, and they looked uncomfortable just trying to fill space. I would have much rather watched them act. It also wasn’t clear if the voiceover was purely the main characters inner thoughts. Conceptually it seemed like that was the case, but in reality I feel like half of what was considered the thoughts could have been spoken dialogue, and some of what was spoken seemed like the character’s thoughts. Also not a fan of the portrayal of the girlfriend. I get that we are watching an unreliable narrator, but the details of how long she’d been around were messy. Throughout the entire show, the writing - not just the main character’s lens - played her up to being a bitch. *spoiler here* The fact that she demanded priority when the main character’s dad could be dying was treated as valid. Neither character’s actions were appropriate but I felt like that was never properly discussed. Then her flaws were resolved with a heartfelt song? Also what happened to the big time producer? Had some unforgivable plot points. I didn’t really follow any of the “comedy,” seemed like they were counting on the throw away one-liners like “hungwy” to pull all the laughs: and with an audience full of friends it did. But anyone that was not a friend wasn’t found scoffing. It needs more rewrites. The producer said it was their first time writing, directing, etc and it showed. I’d still say it’s a worthwhile addition to the fringe because of the creativity of the concept. I’m excited to see what the author brings to future fringes with more experience.

This show is why Fringe Festival is important

I didn't mean to go to this show but I got my show schedule confused. What a wonderful mistake, I'm lucky to see this show. Beautifully written, imaginative, with solid performances. The Southern was the perfect space for this show.

Love the concept and performance

Wow, the attention to detail in this show was amazing. Garrison is a multi talented musician and performer. I was mesmerized by his pantomime skills that he used throughout the show to aid in his storytelling. It really brought the world of the play to life. The music and concept of the the whole show was super interesting and unigue. At times I was laughing and other times feeling the personal struggles and desires of the characters in the story. They really put their hearts out on that stage and I completely enjoyed it.

Cool Concept

I really enjoyed the story - it was something that I had never heard before. Truly unique. I saw the last show and the timing of the sound cues was spot on. I'd love to see it built into a bit longer of a show - I think it would help resolve some of the quirks that others have mentioned with the plot. But I really enjoyed it!

Making Magic

This was such a special show!! Between the acting, the music, the humor and the heart- I was blown away! Fantastic fringe debut and each of the actors really made their characters someone I could relate to. It was heartfelt and silly and I can’t wait to see it again! You won’t want to miss this one!

Alle-GO see this play!

Great premise for a play, raised some interesting questions about emotional labor and relationships, but also very funny! Justin's lines especially had me laughing, you never expect the love interest to loudly proclaim "I'm fuckin' hungwy!" but I can absolutely see what Ben sees in him.

Attend for an audio/visual spectacle

This review is from seeing show #1. In one sentence: - a wonderful example of experimental theatre, this original story of a composer matches the show genre: through a bold medium it mostly works and a handful of times it doesn’t. In three sentences: through the exploration of live music scoring paired with sharp sound and lighting design, the audience sometimes feels involved and dissolved by the story being told. Some character relationships and climatic points needed some directorial guidance and the early 2000s inner monologue motif sometimes felt wearing. However the script and story body will continue improving and it's a show worth attending due to being something you've probably never seen before.

completely original

i’ve never seen a play like that before.

Absolutely Incredible

This show was far and away one of the best shows I’ve seen and the story was so unique. You can really see the detail and craftsmanship that was put into this stellar performance! It had perfect balance throughout the show, providing comedic relief as well as heart wrenching moments. The music, the acting and dialogue was superb! If you’re out looking for a show to watch make sure you stop to watch Allegro!

Well crafted music and drama!

The music was amazing throughout, and the dramatic story was pretty high quality, and the actors were fantastic. The theater is a pretty amazing space I've never been in before.

A blend of realistic and abstract

Absolutely loved the concept and the way it was woven through the story. The music really tugs at the heartstrings... I'm talking old-school Pixar level tugging. I'm thinking/hoping the issue with volume comes down to opening night kinks. Don't miss this show!

Beautiful Production

I think this is the most well-executed Fringe show I've had the pleasure of seeing. Every element worked together perfectly to create this show, and was so, so well done. The funny bits were funny, the serious moments made me tear up. The whole cast of actors was just incredible. Still a bit on the fence on how I feel about the voiceover, but given the concept of the show it made a lot of sense, and added to the production rather than detracted. All the moments staged under the music/voiceover flowed really well, and the timing (by either the stage manager or sound design, I'm not sure) was just perfect. Show flowed smoothly, and all the characters felt so, so real. Super big applause to Garrison Shea; for a first time writing/producing/directing a Fringe show, brought a really cohesive, beautiful product to life. I would have assumed this was a bigger producer in the scene, because the work and love put into this show was so apparent. Go see this one!

Excellent Fringe Debut

Garrison Shea's Fringe debut is incredibly impressive! My favorite shows are those that tug at your heart strings but also make you laugh, and Allegro has both. This show will engage you in multiple ways, from the captivating score, to silly jokes, and excellent acting. But most of all, its relatable to anyone trying to live out their passions in this world while navigating your emotions. I left the theater thinking how it really captured that life is a struggle where you try to love and impress those around you but ultimately stumble because we're all just humans. I can't wait to see what Garrison does next!

Fabulous

What a creative work! So many different sounds, effects, visuals that I have never experienced in theater. Big Kudos to Garrison and cast!

Original and engaging

The fantastic concept that drives the plot is quite original and mostly works, though at a few junctures I was a little confused about which characters were hearing the mental sound track. And I experienced the same issue others mentioned with not hearing all the words when the recorded music and voice were playing simultaneously. But overall I found this show highly engaging, and I enjoyed how the characters (and their relationships) deepened as the hour progressed. In some ways this show has an intimate feel and might do better on a less cavernous stage, but the actors used the space well. Also, there are a lot of funny moments!

Full of heart and not to be missed!

One of the most original, inspiring, moving new works I've seen. You wouldn't know this is Garrison Shea's debut in directing and writing as he has crafted a well-rounded, heartfelt, humorous story and led his team to bring it to life onstage expertly. Getting to witness his stunning, dropped in, complex performance as the main character is the cherry on top. The fact that he composed all new, original music and there's a score almost constantly playing for 50 minutes is a feat. And the musical number sung by Kendra Yarke sounds like something you might hear from your favorite show on Broadway today - the musicianship is outstanding. Michael Rogers is the ultimate comedic relief in his goofy & lovable ultra-relatable best friend role. Special shoutout to Brad Mondloch in his first time Stage Managing, the sound and lighting cues are executed to utter perfection and truly elevate the storytelling. 10000/10 - If you see one show this season, let it be this one! Bravissimo!!!

Alle-Go See this Show!

This is an A+ writer/producer debut, and a big risk as an artist. Garrison's character - which draws on his life but isn't quite meant to be him - can be uncharming, makes some selfish choices, and does One Really Bad Thing, and that's exactly what you want to see in a semi-autobiographical show. I forget who said this, but some theater person was talking about the importance of a Blushable Moment, where someone does something they regret, and this show is wonderfully unflinching about it. The main character goes through a very earned transition into maturity, and the rest of the cast is terrific and grounded as characters who go through transformations of their own in how they relate to the lead - they all feel very lived-in and sincere. Also, music good! Music good.

Creative and Original

This is a show I walked into with no preparation. As soon as it started, I realized I was captivated by the preview of it a couple of weeks back, without knowing this was it. An incredible concept for a show, with dynamic acting, and the ability to find several tones within it's time to make it feel like a full-fledged production. It doesn't feel like it's condensed or had to be cut into 60 minutes. I'm unsure if I missed something in the exposition and/or establishment of the "magic" within the protagonist's skill (that other people can hear, but only if something deeper happens first with other people it seemed like) so felt confused at times with that rule specifically, but nonetheless, didn't take away from the performance. Timing and tech worked well and a great use of a large space with only four actors.