Fringe Day 3 (Saturday)

[dreamshark]

The Damn Audition                * * * * *
presented by Joking Envelope 
Venue: U of M Rarig Thrust

Not a lot to add by Sharon Kahn
Rating: 5 kitties
But I might as well get my vote in to counterbalance the jerks who like to give zero-kitty reviews to popular shows just to be jerks. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Kudos to Joe for giving the juiciest role to Maggie Chestovich instead of keeping it for himself. She really nailed it too, just barely letting her vulnerability show under the jaded touch chick exterior.

My Mother Told Me                 * * *
presented by Sara Stevenson Scrimshaw 
Venue: Southern

Parts not equal to the whole by Sharon Kahn
Rating: 3 kitties
I admit, I was expecting something different - interaction between the dancer(s) and the story teller (as in Sara's performances in past Fringes). This was more like two unrelated performances time-slicing the space. If there was a relationship between the dances and the story, I didn't see it. I also had some problems with the story. Phillip is a superb story teller with an encyclopedic knowledge of myth and archetype, but he may be expecting a little too much of his audience. The story he spins of a simple boy raised in seclusion and then setting off to become a warrior is intriguing, but cryptic and fragmentary. Halfway through the performance the boy identifies himself as Percival, which should have been an aha moment for the better educated, but sadly went over my head. Okay, now I've looked it up and it does sound familiar. Percival was one of King Arthur's knights, one of the most persistent seekers of the Holy Grail. So where were King Arthur and Galahad and the Grail in this story? Well, not there. Why? Because Phillip was using Chretien de Troyes "Perceval" as his source material, and that particular account IS UNFINISHED, breaking off abruptly after the encounter with the Fisher King. Phillip, I love you, but that's just a little too obscure for most of us.

See You Next Tuesday          * * * *  1/2
presented by Walking Shadow Theatre Company 
Venue: Mixed Blood

I never got around to doing an online review of this one because I didn't have anything to say that hadn't already been said and I agreed with the average rating. It was a well-written, well-acted play about people that are a little bit hard to care about. Nonetheless, I enjoyed it quite a bit, probably because it was more of a dark comedy than a drama.


ROBO-homa! A Territory Tale with a Technological Twist      * * * * 1/2
presented by Rewired Theatre Company 
Venue: U of M Rarig Proscenium

Public Service Announcement by Sharon Kahn
Rating: 4 kitties
Rewired Theater Company, are you reading this? If so, PLEASE TURN DOWN THE VOLUME ON THE MUSICAL ACCOMPANIMENT - IT IS DROWNING OUT THE SINGERS. I saw the show on Saturday, and sitting in the center of the 3rd row I could just barely make out the words to some of the songs over that loudly plinking piano. Other than that, the show was delightful. Probably best if you have heard the soundtrack to "Oklahoma" so many times that you pretty much have it memorized, but I think it would stand on its own for people with only a passing familiarity with the original. There's a pretty decent little science fiction plot, lots of energy, and a standout performance by the guy that plays "Jud" as a study in manly confusion.

Entwined                                            * * * *
presented by Awkward Moment Productions 
Venue: U of M Rarig Arena

Good but not great by Sharon Kahn
Rating: 4 kitties
Good show, but not her best work. It's a solidly written piece, not really a work in progress. But it would have been better if she had finished it in time to perform from memory rather than reading aloud. Including a 2nd person in the performance was an interesting experiment. I don't think it ruined the show, but I don't think it added much either. I wasn't crazy about her sidekick's deadpan delivery, and I found the musical interludes distracting (except for "The Biggest Ball of Twine in Minnesota," which kind of had to be there as the theme song). All in all, a very enjoyable show, but not quite up to my expectations.

Sex, Soap, Torture, Weather              * * *
presented by Shadow Horse Productions/Stolen Dress Entertainment 
Venue: Playwrights' Center

Well worth seeing by Sharon Kahn
Rating: 3 kitties
When I first started attending the Fringe, the multi-play format was everywhere (and one of the things that hooked me on Fringing). Now it's a vanishing breed. This one is a bit of a mixed bag, but well worth attending, especially if you're getting a wee bit tired of musicals. Unfortunately, the first of the 4 playlets is the weakest. I think it's supposed to be a mocking literalization of the tacit negotiations, attacks and defenses that go into starting a relationship. Unfortunately, the rules of their little duel are impossible to figure out (which may or may not be part of the joke) and the repartee is not very clever. The result is tedium. The next one ("Soap") was intriguing but went on too long. Is this argument really becoming a common source of conflict in modern marriages? I wouldn't be surprised. Number 3, ("Torture") was also a little long, but the two women were so much fun to watch that it was quite amusing. Probably hilarious to the other actors in the audience, as it's about the casting process. Number 4 was a winner - absurdist and touching at the same time. In 15 minutes we see a couple's lifetime together, from the moment they meet until death do them part. Yes, much like the first 8 minutes of the movie "Up," only sillier.