Fringe Festival
Jul. 26th, 2006 04:33 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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So far this has been a pretty decent Fringe. I've seen only one show that was cruddy enough I wished I hadn't, and that was as usher, so I didn't pay, and in fact was sort of paid for being there. Although I've collected enough dirt on another to know to avoid it like the plague - if it even finishes its run (Several of the onstage issues have to do with offstage Issues with a deliberately-placed-capital.) Nope, I'm not giving those names.
The decent-to-good shows so far, you'll get your money's worth:
Canterbury Tales Reset to a degree in a locale in Africa, though it rarely impinges. I almost hate putting anything by Erik De Waal in merely good.
Scratch Improv theatre, but the kind where they improvise a full story and try to tie it together, not short improv games.
The Bible: The Complete Word of God (abridged) Fun, and with good comic timing, but some of the jokes were rather too obvious, or didn't push the material far enough. It might almost work better the less you know.
Why they go in groups comedy play set in the women's washroom of a bar. The large cast are pretty on, some of the premise is cliched, some makes you laugh in recognition.
Shock Corridor Black comedy, a reporter gets himself checked into an insane asylum to solve a murder. I liked this less than the others (Which isn't to say I disliked it, just that this was the wrong kind of black comedy for me), but it's been getting 5 star reviews elsewhere.
The really good shows:
52 Pick-up 52 scenes about a particular relationship, done in whatever order the two actors pick up the cards. Better than the premise sounds, which isn't much of a surprise to me, as the actor is from one consistently excellent troupe (The actress has her own load of stage credits, I just haven't seen as many of them), one of the writers is one of the most popular Fringe performers EVAR*. (He's also responsible for the half of the script for Power of Ignorance that wasn't Chris Gibbs' fault.)
Teaching Shakespeare A professor in meltdown, vividly funny in parts, but sneakily turns (oh, cliched word) poignant.
Wallflowers and Wildflowers Primrose Madayag Knazan's not for kids show. Saying it's all about Date Rape doesn't tell you the right things, reduces a complex situation and vivid characters to a Problem. Puts you through a wringer, but leaves hope.
Tales from the Calabash Erik De Waal. Designed for kids, but it works pretty well for their parents and other random adults. It's funny how both the shows for YA or children I've seen this time are beign doen by people who also have a show decidedly and totally Not for Children.
Don't miss!!!
Ugly Ducks, Pretty Swans Primrose Madayag Knazan's tweener show, loosly based on (and critical of) the Ugly Duckling.
Conclave: The Musical From the weirdos who brought us Illuminati: The Musical. Not *quite* as good as that one, but that's praising with faint damns. It also sells out.
The Power of Ignorance Okay, you could miss it if you saw it the last time it was at the Fringe -- Chris Gibbs put this one on 3 years ago, although there are a handful of new jokes.
I haven't seen yet, but mean to, and can safely presume are at minimum very good:
Cabarlesque (About what it sounds like; a play set around Cabaret and Burlesque locales and eras.)
Zombies: A Love Story (I never know how to describe Screwed and Clued. Insightful, British drama with comedic bits.)
Montana
The Excursionists (Victorian Steampunk of a sort)
The Exquisite Hour (I fully expect this to score in the "Don't Miss!" section)
The Great Love of Queen Victoria
_______________________________
* The phenomenon of T.J. Dawe is kind of disturbing. He's involved in at least 3 shows this year - having co-written one, and co-written and directed the other two. I'm trying to remember if there's a fourth. He's not here in person this year, (he usually has one or two sell-out shows where he's the one on stage), but his name is still a large part of the draw for all these shows.
Of course, he's good enough to have earned it (He's damn good. If he ever restages Labrador in your town, GO). But so are others who haven't nearly the influence, or the crowd-draw -- some are better. I guess it's the same as with all arts, though... the old "why Rowling but not Diana Wynne Jones!" wail translated to another medium.
So far this has been a pretty decent Fringe. I've seen only one show that was cruddy enough I wished I hadn't, and that was as usher, so I didn't pay, and in fact was sort of paid for being there. Although I've collected enough dirt on another to know to avoid it like the plague - if it even finishes its run (Several of the onstage issues have to do with offstage Issues with a deliberately-placed-capital.) Nope, I'm not giving those names.
The decent-to-good shows so far, you'll get your money's worth:
Canterbury Tales Reset to a degree in a locale in Africa, though it rarely impinges. I almost hate putting anything by Erik De Waal in merely good.
Scratch Improv theatre, but the kind where they improvise a full story and try to tie it together, not short improv games.
The Bible: The Complete Word of God (abridged) Fun, and with good comic timing, but some of the jokes were rather too obvious, or didn't push the material far enough. It might almost work better the less you know.
Why they go in groups comedy play set in the women's washroom of a bar. The large cast are pretty on, some of the premise is cliched, some makes you laugh in recognition.
Shock Corridor Black comedy, a reporter gets himself checked into an insane asylum to solve a murder. I liked this less than the others (Which isn't to say I disliked it, just that this was the wrong kind of black comedy for me), but it's been getting 5 star reviews elsewhere.
The really good shows:
52 Pick-up 52 scenes about a particular relationship, done in whatever order the two actors pick up the cards. Better than the premise sounds, which isn't much of a surprise to me, as the actor is from one consistently excellent troupe (The actress has her own load of stage credits, I just haven't seen as many of them), one of the writers is one of the most popular Fringe performers EVAR*. (He's also responsible for the half of the script for Power of Ignorance that wasn't Chris Gibbs' fault.)
Teaching Shakespeare A professor in meltdown, vividly funny in parts, but sneakily turns (oh, cliched word) poignant.
Wallflowers and Wildflowers Primrose Madayag Knazan's not for kids show. Saying it's all about Date Rape doesn't tell you the right things, reduces a complex situation and vivid characters to a Problem. Puts you through a wringer, but leaves hope.
Tales from the Calabash Erik De Waal. Designed for kids, but it works pretty well for their parents and other random adults. It's funny how both the shows for YA or children I've seen this time are beign doen by people who also have a show decidedly and totally Not for Children.
Don't miss!!!
Ugly Ducks, Pretty Swans Primrose Madayag Knazan's tweener show, loosly based on (and critical of) the Ugly Duckling.
Conclave: The Musical From the weirdos who brought us Illuminati: The Musical. Not *quite* as good as that one, but that's praising with faint damns. It also sells out.
The Power of Ignorance Okay, you could miss it if you saw it the last time it was at the Fringe -- Chris Gibbs put this one on 3 years ago, although there are a handful of new jokes.
I haven't seen yet, but mean to, and can safely presume are at minimum very good:
Cabarlesque (About what it sounds like; a play set around Cabaret and Burlesque locales and eras.)
Zombies: A Love Story (I never know how to describe Screwed and Clued. Insightful, British drama with comedic bits.)
Montana
The Excursionists (Victorian Steampunk of a sort)
The Exquisite Hour (I fully expect this to score in the "Don't Miss!" section)
The Great Love of Queen Victoria
_______________________________
* The phenomenon of T.J. Dawe is kind of disturbing. He's involved in at least 3 shows this year - having co-written one, and co-written and directed the other two. I'm trying to remember if there's a fourth. He's not here in person this year, (he usually has one or two sell-out shows where he's the one on stage), but his name is still a large part of the draw for all these shows.
Of course, he's good enough to have earned it (He's damn good. If he ever restages Labrador in your town, GO). But so are others who haven't nearly the influence, or the crowd-draw -- some are better. I guess it's the same as with all arts, though... the old "why Rowling but not Diana Wynne Jones!" wail translated to another medium.
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Date: 2006-07-28 12:40 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-07-29 04:43 pm (UTC)(Canterbury Tales got into Best of Fest, BTW, which means he's got a good audience this year, adt least for his adult show. Yay! I Jennied the other show in hopes of boosting attention to it as well.)