Sign up

Lost password?

The Most Massive Woman Wins

I know, right?
by Ryan Grimes
Rating: 5 kitties
I almost can't believe I'm giving a Fringe show five kitties, but I'm doing it and I have no doubt. This production was, by far, my favorite performance of the entire Festival. All four performers present deeply touching portrayals of doubt, guilt, beauty, and love. Intended to address body image for women, this show addressed, in my opinion, the issue of body image for all of us. Do NOT miss the final performance!

Hue and Cry

Performance Over Direction
by Ryan Grimes
Rating: 4 kitties
When I think of the Fringe Festival, I often think of dance pieces, over-the-top comedy, what-the-heck-was-that? surrealism, etc. I don't expect to encounter a drama that is written so well and performed with such committment. Having worked with both of these actors in past productions, I was not surprised in the least to see such excellent performances from them, but I could also tell that there were moments that they clearly had to figure out on their own, because a clear, coherent direction was missing. Regardless, this play packs an emotional punch in a very short amount of time - I had no idea it had only been 35 minutes when I got up from my seat. Certainly THE BEST drama I've ever seen in the Fringe Festival.

Monster

Seamless
by Ryan Grimes
Rating: 4 kitties
Chris Kehoe's transitions from one character to the next wove a tapestry of psychosis that was fascinating to watch and held my attention the entire time. The twists of the story were slightly predictable, but this production is a Fringe triumph if for no other reason than Kehoe's performance and Natalie Novacek's steady direction.

10.10 Post 9.11: Laughter in the Aftermath

It's Been Seven Years
by Ryan Grimes
Rating: 3 kitties
To start, let me say that I think this show is a very important show for people to see...in Kansas, where it was originally workshopped. However, seven years after 9/11, the 2008 Minnesota Fringe Festival may not be the most appropriate venue for these pieces because the material seems dated and Adam Sharp is basically preaching to the choir.

This is not to say, however, that I didn't laugh - a lot - at interesting writing and excellent performances. The writing of "Nevermore" was brilliant; however, I couldn't understand most of what Bethany Simmons said, so I think the intended effect was a bit lost on me. Performance highlights include Andrew Kraft's Abraham in "Mid-East Side Story", Michael Bruckmueller's Apostle Steve in "The Good, the Bad...", and Lesley J. Rice's Brandy in "Terrorism's Gay". However, I do have to say this last piece left a little to be desired. I think it's great when straight people throw us gays a bone and create a piece about how it's "OK 2 Be Gay" (which, again, is a little dated for the Twin Cities, one of the most accepting metro areas in the country), but some of the gay stereotypes were just a little...awkward...and, truth be told, a true fag hag would never be as hot as Lesley J. Rice (and would *definitely* not have those legs).

In all, I enjoyed myself. I just think Adam Sharp should look into getting this show into the RNC next month - that's the audience that really needs to see it.

Bard Fiction

Pulp Pentameter
by Ryan Grimes
Rating: 3 kitties
It's very likely that this show was not for me. I haven't seen Pulp Fiction in years, and iambic pentameter is hard for me to follow when actors aren't projecting or holding for laughs. There's a lot that happens in the hour that Bard Fiction occupies, the most enjoyable of which are Carin Bratlie's clever staging of Tarantino's out-of-order sequencing and stellar performances by Clarence Wethern (Walken would be pleased), Grant Henderson, and Emma Gochberg.

Even if you're dense like me and find most Shakespearean stylings tiring, you'll still enjoy the excellent staging, committed actors, delightful music, and superior production values. And it's a kick to be in the audience of *the* show of the Fringe. The audience had a blast - the sign of truly great theatre.

Thin Mint

Offensive for the Sake of Offensiveness
by Ryan Grimes
Rating: 2 kitties
Don't get me wrong - I love offensive humor. I respect playwrights who step up to the line, and maybe even tap their toes a little bit over. For the most part, however, this show went way too far. There's a big difference between creating a character who says offensive things and - as playwrights - just trying to come up with the most offensive joke one can imagine. There are topics that teenagers find interesting, yet don't have the life experience to fully understand. Hopefully, in ten years, these playwrights will cringe at their "joke" about getting AIDS.

The script has some promise, but could use the objective eye of a dramaturg, and would have benfitted from an outside director. Performances by Todd Bruse, Madde Gibba, and Satchel McCall overcame a Look-How-Edgy-We-Are script.

Foolproof

Uncomfortable
by Ryan Grimes
Rating: 2 kitties
A noble attempt by Lisa Bol and Mark Benzel to give the same nobility to despicable characters couldn't overcome a script filled with such unbelieveable relationships. The character of Jake is central to the play, and yet so unlikeable that you feel uninterested in his plans. I didn't believe he and Martin were best friends, and I certainly didn't believe he'd be able to pull off womanizing across the country.

This show broke my heart, and not because of the subject matter, but because I wanted so much to like it and left disappointed. The script is an interesting concept, but requires some dramaturgy and strong direction in order to be worthy of Lisa's and Mark's talents.