so... who's Fringing this year?

[dreamshark]

Fringe starts next Thursday, and Richard and I have our Ultrapasses already. That means we can go to any show "free," so we'll see almost anything.  Here's a few shows I would particularly like to catch:

The Damn Audition - because it's Joe Scrimshaw
Match Game Minnesota - because it's Josh Scrimshaw
My Mother Told Me - because it's Sara Scrimshaw. And Philip Bennett Lowe.
Bite Me Twilight - because it's Tom Reed (last year's "Parry Hotter and the Half-Drunk Twins" was hilarious)
Entwined - because it's Amy Salloway
Idiosynchricity - because it's Rob Callahan
See You Next Tuesday - Walking Shadow always delivers a quality performance
Spin - "an inventive musical show that investigates the BICYCLE as musical instrument, muse and agent of social change". How could I not see that?
Alexander at Delphi - because it's a subject that hasn't been done to death.
The Selkie - I like to include a few dance performances, and the subject is one of my favorite myths
Living Traces, Burning Breath - mostly because it's at the Jungle Theater and it's genred as "Comedy, Drama, Historical"
Sex, Soap, Torture, Weather - because there aren't enough multiple one-act plays at the Fringe these days. And I think I remember these guys from the days when there used to be more of this format.
EWOCs Do it in 10 Minutes - because there aren't enough multiple one-act plays at the Fringe these days
Table for Two - just because it sounds promising
Bedroom Eyes - because I like old-time music (with and without drag queens)
Robohoma - a musical!  With Robots! 

So what shows do you want to see? 

Comments

[minnehaha.livejournal.com]

I guess I don't know right now. I hope to get to some. When does it start, again?

K.

[dreamshark.livejournal.com]

Next Thursday (August 5). When are you home?

[minnehaha.livejournal.com]

The 5th. I never did buy the UltraPass you recommended, which is good, since I don't know what I'll need to do once I get home.

K.

[mle292.livejournal.com]

Of the ones you list, I am most interested in seeing "Bite Me Twilight." Have you picked a schedule yet?

[dreamshark.livejournal.com]

Nothing firm yet. So far I've bookmarked about 30 shows, and have plopped about 20 of them into a tentative schedule. At the moment, I have Twilight tentatively scheduled for Sunday (Aug 8) at 2:30. However, I think Richard and Thorin wanted to try to see it on opening night (Thursday) at 10pm. Are you available at either time?

[barondave.livejournal.com]

I've been to one of the Fringe-For-Alls and two dress rehearsals. Made two videos on Baron Dave's YouTube Channel related to the Fringe: Rob's show and a screwball comedy, "Table 12". Hope to see a few more before the event starts Thursday. Really, the Fringe starts Wednesday with the Ootiefest.

Frankly, I'm less excited about individual shows than in previous years. Because I keep records of every show I went to, including showcases, I can compare notes afterwards. What I've found is that there was little-to-no correlation between expectations and seeing the Fringe performance. Showcases that I marked as "must see" were, for the most part, not as good in hour-long versions. Showcases that didn't work very well did, on occasion, turn into great Fringes.

Like you, I follow performers and/or troupes, so Scrimshaw(s), Salloway, Tom Reed, Walking Shadow, etc are high on my list. But I'm aiming to be top-heavy, and see as many Fringes early... or earlier... to help be part of the buzz. I hope to enlist Carole Vandal as part of the Shockwave Review team.

I'm probably going to get at least two more dress rehearsals in before the Fringe starts. Watch for videos.

[dreamshark.livejournal.com]

"What I've found is that there was little-to-no correlation between expectations and seeing the Fringe performance."

I haven't found that to be the case. Most of the shows I've pre-identified as must-sees turned out to be good to excellent.

I have never been seriously disappointed by picking shows by performers I've liked in the past. Once the festival is under way I have had reasonable success by following the "people who liked this show also saw..." links on the Fringe website. And I read the reviews, which can be really helpful. However, they can also be misleading, since there are always some bullshit 5* reviews by friends and family members. If a show has just a few glowing reviews I look at other reviews written by the same person. If this is the only show they've reviewed I take it with a grain of salt.

I've never been to a showcase, but you don't make a very good case for attending them.