After the End

Comedic yet heart-wrenching. We cried.

I'm not kidding. My two troupe members and I cried at the end. "Jeff" balances comedy, drama, the weight of crushing loneliness, and the anxiety of hope perfectly, all strung together with a guitar and well-placed songs that you hear in another light.

Playing with Fire

Scot Frielich is a charismatic performer with a nice stage presence who was highly engaging throughout this entire performance. The problem is that when you set the stakes as high as he does (being the last man on earth and all) it makes it very difficult to rise to the moment you've created. He has some genuinely nice insights about loss, but I think they would have resonated much better under less grandiose circumstances (like an unwanted divorce, sudden displacement, etc.). But under the backdrop of the end of human life, those insights don't fire as well. I also think this would have played better if staged more intimately; he spent most of his time toward the back of the stage, which mystified me a bit. A more intimate setting would have also eliminated the sound problems he had during his songs. Lots to like here, but I felt the bar was placed much too high for him to be successful with the material he had.

Incredible and engaging in every dimension

Creativity 5+; Production Value 5+; Interest (subjective) 5+ Wow, and wow. I have seen lots of MN Fringe shows over many years, and this will be one my sister and I will always reflect back on: "remember the guy who survived the global pandemic singing to his imaginary audience at Mixed Blood." The thought behind his lucky survival (via Zillow) was both creative and believable. The other survivors (yikes, nightmares), his addressing the audience (you look so corporal), the songs, and even the postcard. It was truly a master class.

Riveting hour of story and song

Last man on earth premises can be tricky to pull off, but Scot Froelich does it here with plausibility, warmth and generosity of spirit. It has stuck with me for a couple days now. Imagining a post-post-pandemic world might be the best prism for examining where we are right now: trying to analog reconnect as carbon-based creatures in a world of digital glut while nature pushes back against the the thing we have wrought. In a reality increasingly defined by the indefinability of gravity, matter and space, it felt good to be in a room with my fellow apparitions contemplating Camus’ one ‘truly serious philosophical problem,’ comforted by stories, existing because observed. Living between a laugh and a tear. Go see this show. You will be glad you did.

Funny and Moving

It is so great to have Scot back writing and performing his one-man shows once again. If you are familiar with his previous work, and even if you're not, you will be grateful to see this show. Comedic yet heartfelt. Just lovely.

I hate that you made me feel things

Look here, Scot is an excellent story teller and the story, while somewhat fantastical in circumstance, was beautifully considered and created. But seriously, fuck you, Scot; you made me feel such emotions. You can do everything right... God dammit, Scot, you did, and I sobbed. So everyone else who hasn't seen this yet, GO ASAP. It's a beautiful, brilliant production.

Inspired, heartbreaking, powerful must watch

It’s hard to put into words how I feel about this show, but I can say that I was well and truly moved. It’s about what it means to live, what it means to love, and the beauty and pain of hope. Sometimes it’s easy to feel like life is something happening to you and this show is a reminder to not take any person or any moment for granted. To share and celebrate what it means to be humans together in this crazy world. The value of really, truly knowing someone. The vulnerability and raw emotion had me captivated and I was in tears by the end. Thank you for bearing your soul to us and for giving us the gift of knowing you through this work.

Powerful and captivating

Great show. Inventive and kept my attention throughout. Good, but not too heavy, message. Music fit, even slightly out of tune.

Clever, polished, moving.

Absolutely recommend this. If solo shows are not your thing, forget that. A simple idea, and very well executed. This one will stick with me. A beautiful message and hope for humanity. Only downside was the guitar was sometimes too hot and overpowering.

Strong show. Worth your time and money.

A solid premise, well constructed. What does it mean when there are no humans left to maintain the story of us? Of you? Storytelling interspersed with music that supported the moment. Well done.

No notes

Sometimes you see a show that you can just tell has so much passion poured into it. This was that show for me. Go check it out!

Fantastic story and performance

The End, written and performed by Scot Froelich, is a truly unique one-man show. From the moment it begins, Scot draws you into the story and keeps you engaged with a performance that is both intimate and powerful. The writing is clever and thought-provoking, exploring big questions about humanity, connection, and what we leave behind. Scot’s acting brings those ideas to life with humor, emotion, and a genuine sense of vulnerability. He was engaging, confident, and deeply connected to the story, making the performance feel both intimate and impactful. I highly recommend making time to see this show!

Dramatic Thought Experiment

What would happen if you were the last human in existence? This question is dramatically worked out by the intimate, open performance by Scot Froelich. The piece is well performed and recognizes the emotional quandaries raised in this scenario. Well worth the time and the ticket.

Captivating storytelling

I posted up at mixed blood for an afternoon of fringe and almost took a dinner break during this time slot and am so glad I didn't. A truly beautiful and heartbreaking story. I could hear people around me crying. A perfect little fringe gem. Whatever problems with the guitar the first nights reviews had seem to have been fixed as well. Don't miss this one.

Excuse me, it's raining on my face...

Having seen Scot's other shows, I knew I was in for something thoughtful, emotional, funny but ultimately heartbreaking with great music. After the End delivered on all counts and then some. I could go on and on about specifics, but all you really need to know is that this is fabulous and you need to see it. So go!

Truly Incredible

The dialogue felt natural and the performance was very grounded. Did an excellent job of connecting with the audience and used the space beautifully. While overall a more serious show, there were many well crafted moments of comedy that kept it from feeling too doom and gloom. The included songs really supported the overall piece and also sounded great. Would highly, highly recommend.

Captivating story and easy to follow

I liked the way he told the story, and the songs he played fit the story as well. The guitar sounded like it was not the best guitar, but I still liked the songs.

A Beautiful Story from a Master Storyteller

Full disclosure, I am a good friend of Scot's, and have seen and loved many of his productions over the years. This is a stellar addition to his already impressive repertoire of one man shows. An interesting twist on a familiar premise alone makes this worth your time, but the addition of the thoughtful musical selections makes it even more special and poignant. You can tell there was a lot of love and intention poured into the script and performance. I laughed, I cried, and I highly recommend adding this one to your Fringe schedule.

Wonderfully Whimsical Apocalypse

A terrific production written and performed (and sung) by Scot Freilich. What could have been just a devastating tale of the post-apocalypse is instead all that, but told with a wonderful, whimsical sense of humor and faith in humanity. And music. Science has never been so accessible, love and commitment so palpable. Run, don't walk to buy tickets.

The End Can Be Beautiful

TL;DR - SEE THIS SHOW BEFORE IT CLOSES. Scot's always been a strong performer, but this might be my favorite out of everything he's done. This is a really interesting take on the last-man-on-Earth scenario. And one that I've never seen. Smartly constructed & expertly presented, the story is one that you're always trying to stay one step ahead of, but ultimately, it takes a few turns you never expect. It's the kind of one-person show that pulls you in & never lets you go. And I loved the song selections. Songs that ranged from intentionally on-the-nose to metaphorical numbers, all really tugging at you. All in all, this is a premise that could've fallen flat if it weren't for Scot's stellar script, brave performance & magnetic stage presence.

Amazing from the Beginning

We had no idea what to expect but this show blew me away. The story, the set up, the music, the match of all the variables and the sincerity. I laughed, I cried, I enjoyed every moment. I wanted to stay and see it all over again or get the video!

Moving Apocalyptic Story

I was bawling at the end of this show. Only note is the guitar's volume overwhelmed the singing so it was hard to make out all the lyrics, but that didn't detract too much from the emotional vulnerability. Go see this wonderful performance to reflect on what it means to be human.

A dystopian tale well told.

A gripping story, well written, and extremely well performed. I felt I should deduct one kitty for the horrible sound. His choice to use electric guitar seemed odd. Neither of us was able to understand a single word of his lyrics, the guitar was so overwhelming, in a space where acoustic would have been enough. I think I recognized Bowie's Space Oddity, so I assume the lyrics were probably always apropos. However, the show was so good overall that I couldn't dock it.