Fargo Allegro

Fargo Indeed!

Being from Fargo, I loved the movie and I loved this as well. Fast paced, fun and funny. Not sure about the accents though...

I enjoy a good play

Good plays are good to watch; this was one of 'em. It brought much glee and merriment to me, and indeed, the audience.

If you want to laugh

I gotta say Fargo Allegro did a masterful job squeezing the movie version of Fargo down into 60 minutes. During the hi-jinks it was seriously difficult not to be wearing a smile or laughing out loud. For my money the three characters who stole the show were Marge Gunderson, Jerry Lundegaard, and Wade Gustafson (the kidnap victim's father). These guys were all great, with a particular nod to Marge and Jerry, who nailed those two characters, keeping the action running and hilarious. I have not watched Fargo, the movie, in more than two decades. But seeing Marge and Jerry again, on stage, made me want to revisit that excellent movie. And laugh at it all again. Bravo!

Delightfully Funny Staging

The title tells you what to expect, a quicker rendition of "Fargo". What it can't tell you is just how much fun you'll have with it! Given that the story will be known to most attendees, the artists have worked to add laughs via staging and doubling-down on the Minnesotan-ness of it all. If you want a good giggle, give this a go.

An hour of non-stop entertainment

As a lover of the original film and its spin offs this really captured the same magic. An amazing cast and tight pacing make for an excellent show. Should you see it? You betcha!

Outstanding movie adaptation

We have seen lots and lots of movie adaptations in our years at Fringe. This was one of the best: great acting, excellent props, fun accents.

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.

A real good deal then! Geez!

Just as the description promised, this fan of the movie was beyond delighted and fully entertained, watching this dark, now-classic comedy unfold at a swift pace, very creatively staged and directed, yet still hearing ALL the iconic lines (sorry if I was muttering them under my breath the whole show…)! Major props to all the actors for playing their roles SPOT ON (special shoutout to Wini Froelich’s “MN ditzy” accents, and Jay as Jerry, and Justine as Marge - iconic!). Speaking of props, loved all the old telephones, the car grill, the “snow” and “blood”, and relatively tasteful depictions of the gun violence that does occur to make the story what it is. Costumes and scenery for being hilariously re-created, too. Loved this show, would 100% recommend.

Impressive for an adaptation

I thoroughly enjoyed myself at this performance. The rapid change of scenes was very difficult, but they pulled it off. There were a few awkward moments that made the cast seem a bit unrehearsed, but it’s easy to forgive those when the show is so enjoyable to watch. They were very aware of their audience of Minnesotans, and delighted us with many local cultural references. One of the accents definitely sounded Irish at times, but I thought it was amusing. Well done, everyone!

100% Perfect for Fringe (& elsewhere)

This was everything I want in a Fringe show: brilliantly inventive, hilarious content, professionally performed. From the moment the truck enters the stage, swooping up snow behind it - I was HOOKED! I've only seen FARGO once, but I didn't need to be a fanatic to enjoy every last bit of this creative endeavor. A huge cast (20+??), with a 2-person orchestra - even the stagehands were phenomenal as they created the world of Brainerd. This show needs to be packed out. I laughed so hard, as did the 10pm audience who saw it. BRAVO to this company for such a delightful show! Now, producers: book this show immediately.

"Oh, I just think I'm gonna barf."

Such a great rendition of a Minnesota classic. Hilarious script (obviously), fantastically acted and the staging was brilliant in it's simplicity. As weird as this might sound, it's worth going just to watch the stage hands paint the scene of a cold Minnesota winter with some fabric, boxes and a few simple props. It's the best fringe show I've seen in years and I recommend it greatly!

I got the jokes!

With too many adaptations at Fringe, I don't know the source material. I know Fargo, so caught the references. I kept laughing. The person who played Jean shuffled beautifully. The person who played Carl was in another play as the hawk puppeteer. Maybe not as much contrast as it seemed first - hawk or inept crook.

A Condensed Version of the Movie+++

Paul Bunyan for a narrator, violin & harp soundtrack, cheeky foleywork, thoughtful stagehands, and a homespun projection screen - an uplifted version of the film and then some!

The movie without the fat

Funny? Yes! But not dumb fun. A Dry wit permeates this entire show and between belly laughs the gleeful smile never left my face. Lots of tech that was very skillfully handled. A Fargo presentation the Coens would love.

Warm & Chill

I loved the devices used in this great adaptation of Fargo- the Paul Bunyan narrator, the swirling snow, the car & headlights, the use of lights & projections in general. I especially appreciated the live music and the warmth and tension it brought to the story. (Shout out to the woman who played multiple roles, including the kidnapped wife- you are hilarious!) I really appreciate the ambition and creativity of this production. Totally worth seeing this one.

Oh yeah, pretty good show there.

They up super Fargoed Fargo, exaggerating all the quirky funny moments and squeezing every bit of humor into one hour. The characterizations are spot on and the theatrical stylization is very entertaining. A lot of talent and laughs! Highly recommend!

Highly recommended

I mean...it's Fargo. Great performances by everyone involved and clearly created by someone that adores the source material. I had a great time!

Very Good show. Great Cast.

Somehow they did the entire movie in 59 minutes. It's all there, and somehow they even added stuff. The adaptation is tight. The casting is fantastic. Highly recommended.

Three Cheers to The Wind!!

I thoroughly enjoyed this show! I loved how the toole was used on stage to show the blowing wind! I would smile so much as that moved around the stage! This show was so funny and engaging! I loved all of the accents and I'm always a sucker for Fringe shows with large casts. So very happy I squeaked this performance in on the closing day!

Standing Ovation for Innovation

Oh Gosh, Oh my Jeepers, Oh cripes! This show had it all: laughs, action, live music…. I will say my favorite part was absolutely the staging and use of the space. I can truly say this is probably the most innovative use of Fringe space I’ve ever seen. The set, props and creativity of the design of the show literally earned its own applause at several points of the show. Not to detract from the performance of the cast. A big group that is very even in terms of talent and energy. This group kept me laughing for all reasons and the show as a whole kept me interested and engaged the entire time. Please go see this show!

I haven't seen Fargo...

... But I didn't need to! This was so funny and clever. And such brilliant staging! It really used the space to full advantage. Great ensemble of actors and musicians, and special shout out to the people transitioning between the scenes... You made the magic!

Ope, they managed to squeeze the whole thing in th

Somehow the whole movie fits and yet it never felt rushed. Funny, clever, dark and charming. Marge and Jerry are pretty much perfect, and it all works.

If You Want Killing

This is a very clever production. Cast, props, words and video blends. A Minnesota flavor, a noir tone, some laughs and the fruits of greed are indeed bitter. Picked-up my spirit. Supreme production.

The car was 5 stars

The true stand-out for this one was the tech! Oh my gosh, the car coming out was genuinely breathtaking for me. The use of the fabric material was great, the projection was perfect, and the show was exactly what it needed to be. It was camp, it was funny, it was visually stunning. As someone who hasn't seen the movie Fargo, I think I would have appreciated the production more if I had. Even then, it made me want to watch Fargo. Super funny actors, really great production quality.

Fantastic Show

Actors, crew and musicians made this an entertaining adaptation of the movie. The props were so clever. Bravo to everyone!

Best live staging of Fargo I've ever seen

This was perfect. The casting, performances, accents, music, and staging were all top-notch. It moves at a faster pace than the movie and somehow I actually found it easier to follow, and there is something special about the restraint shown in this adaptation: A surefire way to make a crowd-pleasing Fringe show is make a movie parody or mashup, but this adaptation shines a new light on the source material just by focusing on the movie's dialogue and casting people to play the snowstorms.

loved it!

This was such a great, fast paced adaptation of the movie! The Fargo story as told by Paul Bunyan and Babe! So inventive and fun with top notch staging and cast! I just wish they would have provided programs - your cast and your audience deserve it, and c'mon, you don't want us staring at our phones to see who's who, don'tcha know??

Recommend Seeing This Show - Very Entertaining!

HUGE cast for a Fringe "play" where staging can be a challenge with optimal rehearsal time and stage space. First to the overall production for streamlining "Fargo" into a 60-minute show. Props to the Melchoirs for their lead roles as Marge and Jerry - but I especially liked Jeffrey's "Carl" for reallyyy channeling Steve Buscemi! The whole cast and crew were spot-on, and although the headlights were a bit bright in the eyes of rows 1-3 in the Middle, those car props were excellent, as was the clever depiction of wood chipper blood. I do have a small negative, which I think I've rationalized - the constant shuffling of stage boxes amidst really fast scene vignettes, got distracting, but it seemed that establishing where certain scenes like Marge and Norm in bed, or them having breakfast, versus where cars were being driven, necessitated the movement. Nice work, Fargo cast and crew!