Stage Takes

5:45 atThe Actors Company

I loved this show! Abi gives us charm and confidence, and a range of feelings throughout this short and personal production. In retrospect, this is the kind of show that will change someone’s outlook on the world, as it engages the viewer to peak behind the masks we wear daily. The play starts inside of her scattered mind and changes pace as reality sets in. This show is powerful and raw, the emotional effect pulls you at your seat. Witty writing with smooth transitions. Abi gives a poignant and memorable performance. Abi made a good choice to perform at an intimate studio space. I noticed how well-rehearsed this show is, which is not uncommon in one person shows. At one point someone opened the door and peaked into the studio, and the moment slipped away and the show went on. Did the energy of the room shift a little or was that just me? What happened to the performer at that moment? I guess that is not something actors think about while preparing a show, but how does one stay in character when something like that happens? Maybe I’m overthinking this point.

A Minor Inconvenience at Actors Company

Two lives, parallel experiences of a cultural shift and coming of age. A show by younger artists, what appears to be personal stories. These two leads have a great voice. I respect the vulnerability that these young artists put into their work and for putting up a show at the Fringe Festival. A musical but the music was too loud. One actor seemed to be having fun, laughing off her mistakes, the rest were too serious. I wish the ensemble was utilized a bit more. The set is minimal, lights are used as spotlights.

Nyx: The Girl Born To Chaos at Actors Company

Very entertaining and enjoyable show! Fun and disturbing, if you’re into that. The show is better than comic book movies, it is a live comic, a surreal experience. I like too that it is short (30 minutes), as it lets the images punch in much harder. The show is graphic, in that there is action and blood, and it is all done very professionally with tremendous choreography. The show is not an origin story, yet there are many possibilities to explore more.

My Tiger at The Broadwater Mainstage

An honest and unique approach to storytelling. Dionysus took the concept of a one-man show to another level with this project. In this production, Didi tells us of the experience of growing up as a mixed race boy in the U.S in the early 1990s and how that shapes him to who he is today. Throughout the show, he comes out to share context, pieces from a memory, and then has actors live them out through a series of vignettes. This is an insightful and enjoyable show. I love the concept, and think the writer is creating an awareness to different types of storytelling. I love how culture plays a central role in this production, and we get to experience different periods in the writer’s life along with different characters. I am not sure if this project needed to be done on main stage, due to the minimalism, but it worked. The transitions often felt repetitive, black outs between monologue and vignette. It is not my job to give notes, but I wondered what it would be like if the speaker was sitting on stage watching his story with us.

Termination Fee at The Broadwater

This is an experimental, existential dark comedy that gets in laughs and thought provoking ideas. The show follows Neal who is let go of his job and wonders how he can continue to support his partner. They trivialize different ideas and it makes us, the audience, question what happiness truly means. The actors were great in their deadpan humor, but it made me wonder about the seriousness of the subject. This feels as though it were written for film, though I have no issue with it being on staage for experimentation.

Saturdays at 10 AM at Eastwood PAC

A genuine, heartwarming, and enjoyable musical that surpasses any expectation of what a Fringe musical would look like! This is a top tier production through the performances which were all filled with great energy, a plot that had good structure, and hilarious, laugh out loud moments. I believe all of the actors used live singing, except for one, which was a satirical character in nature. The energy of the production is so great and every actor gave life to their characters, making each moment purposeful. I will say that these characters are goofy in nature and it was a bit tough to connect to their emotional drives, but it was still a fun watch. The actors professionally dealt with any technical difficulties, such as set pieces falling on the ground or microphones creating noises. The show did go slightly overtime, but fortunately I made it to my Uber so that I can make my 7th show of the day. I sat in the front, and as I turned my head to see how the audience was enjoying, I perceived their bodies as still; they not bopping their heads or clapping their hands to the music. So to answer the question of what could be improved – maybe the audience can act like they are having a good time too. Just kidding, it’s a great show.

Oh Constantine! at The Zephyr Theater

This is one of the funniest projects you will see in all of Fringe! It felt great to laugh out loud every few lines. Oh Constantine! is surrealism, satire, and absurdism all in one. The performances are fantastic and the plot is silly but cohesive and good. The production is filled with elaborate costume and set design, and takes its comedy so seriously that you cannot help but laugh at (with) the satire. I liked the Standout performances! Each actor takes their role so seriously which adds to the humor; different characters that give different flavors. I loved the interactive nature of this piece, how characters worked with the audience to help move the plot along.