The End of the World As We Know It ...
Here are my reviews of Sunday's IndyFringe Shows ***NOTE*** As usual, unless I specifically note a show as family friendly, don't assume it is:
"A Cynic Tells Love Stories" - Katherine Glover's enchanting stories of her life and loves is quite charming and funny. She adeptly transitions throughout her love life and shows her romantic ups and downs with all of the tenderness and sorrow one would expect. Even though her path has been rocky and uneven, her tales leave you with a strong sense of hope for her future.
"Thurgoode" - An interesting premise regarding a teenage girl suffering from multiple personalities. While the overall conceit of having all of her seven manifestations following her around and interacting through her was quite enjoyable, the whole plot and "resolution" of the show was quite impossibly unrealistic, flat and dissatisfying. Still, the interaction of Charlie with her family and personalities was quite worth seeing. Perhaps with some severe rewrites, a great piece of theater can be salvaged from this offering. We will have to wait and see.
"Sex, Dreams and Self Control (part 2)" - Kevin Thornton's second round of stories takes up beautifully where the previous show left off and even revisits some of the consequences of them. Still, an wild and crazy ride through his sexual adventures and religious conflicts. Kevin's storytelling skill proves to make him a "must-see" in all future festival shows.
"The Rise of General Arthur" - An interesting re-imagining of the Arthurian legend in contemporary Baghdad. The result is really more about Pellinore and his questing beast than Arthur but still remains engaging and entertaining. However, it is more than obvious that the show is still in development as the majority of the story is read from the script. However, those few bright moments of acting and dramatic interpretation make you yearn for the finished product. I hope that we will soon be given that payoff.
"Another Classic of Western Literature" - Matthew Roland's wry and satirical take on the current "Econolypse" and the manipulative greed behind it. Between the sharp script and the amazing performances of the cast, the show is nigh on sheer perfection. However, it suffers from a disastrous final act that mars the whole effect. Even with the uneven ending, the show was still a true gem and hopefully we will see a more polished version sometime soon.
"Crossing the Bridge" - A brilliant telling of the story of one man's battle with AIDS, family and the health care system. The story is heartwrenching overall but manages to show the human side of everything. A beautiful marriage of movement and storytelling that did not fail to engage.
"Love me Tender" - I'm honestly not sure what the intent of this show really was. While it could have been a comedic take on lounge singers, the earnestness of all of the participants makes me feel it was not. Still, if you like love songs and need a break from the sheer edginess of the other Fringe offerings, this was your show. I'm not quite sure I was really the target audience but it certainly wasn't the worst show I saw at this year's Fringe Festival.
So, that was it for this year's shows at the Fringe. Since everyone keeps asking, here's my top 5 shows of the Festival:
1. Nevermore
2. 7 (x1) Samurai
3. Sex, Dreams and Self Control
4. Waiting with M. Godot
5. Phi Alpha Gamma
Thanks for indulging my theatrical loves. Hope you enjoyed reading the reviews and they helped you with your Fringing and enjoyment of the Festival.
TTFN!
"A Cynic Tells Love Stories" - Katherine Glover's enchanting stories of her life and loves is quite charming and funny. She adeptly transitions throughout her love life and shows her romantic ups and downs with all of the tenderness and sorrow one would expect. Even though her path has been rocky and uneven, her tales leave you with a strong sense of hope for her future.
"Thurgoode" - An interesting premise regarding a teenage girl suffering from multiple personalities. While the overall conceit of having all of her seven manifestations following her around and interacting through her was quite enjoyable, the whole plot and "resolution" of the show was quite impossibly unrealistic, flat and dissatisfying. Still, the interaction of Charlie with her family and personalities was quite worth seeing. Perhaps with some severe rewrites, a great piece of theater can be salvaged from this offering. We will have to wait and see.
"Sex, Dreams and Self Control (part 2)" - Kevin Thornton's second round of stories takes up beautifully where the previous show left off and even revisits some of the consequences of them. Still, an wild and crazy ride through his sexual adventures and religious conflicts. Kevin's storytelling skill proves to make him a "must-see" in all future festival shows.
"The Rise of General Arthur" - An interesting re-imagining of the Arthurian legend in contemporary Baghdad. The result is really more about Pellinore and his questing beast than Arthur but still remains engaging and entertaining. However, it is more than obvious that the show is still in development as the majority of the story is read from the script. However, those few bright moments of acting and dramatic interpretation make you yearn for the finished product. I hope that we will soon be given that payoff.
"Another Classic of Western Literature" - Matthew Roland's wry and satirical take on the current "Econolypse" and the manipulative greed behind it. Between the sharp script and the amazing performances of the cast, the show is nigh on sheer perfection. However, it suffers from a disastrous final act that mars the whole effect. Even with the uneven ending, the show was still a true gem and hopefully we will see a more polished version sometime soon.
"Crossing the Bridge" - A brilliant telling of the story of one man's battle with AIDS, family and the health care system. The story is heartwrenching overall but manages to show the human side of everything. A beautiful marriage of movement and storytelling that did not fail to engage.
"Love me Tender" - I'm honestly not sure what the intent of this show really was. While it could have been a comedic take on lounge singers, the earnestness of all of the participants makes me feel it was not. Still, if you like love songs and need a break from the sheer edginess of the other Fringe offerings, this was your show. I'm not quite sure I was really the target audience but it certainly wasn't the worst show I saw at this year's Fringe Festival.
So, that was it for this year's shows at the Fringe. Since everyone keeps asking, here's my top 5 shows of the Festival:
1. Nevermore
2. 7 (x1) Samurai
3. Sex, Dreams and Self Control
4. Waiting with M. Godot
5. Phi Alpha Gamma
Thanks for indulging my theatrical loves. Hope you enjoyed reading the reviews and they helped you with your Fringing and enjoyment of the Festival.
TTFN!