Fringe day 7—What's Mom's final day of Fringing for 2008 look like?

by Matthew A. Everett • August 6, 2008 • Mom’s final day of Fringing for 2008, and the next round of performances for “The Bronze Bitch Flies At Noon” and “Dog Tag,” so we’re sticking close to the West Bank and our home on the Arena stage today.

5:30pm
Jack – Eric Van Wyk – Mixed Blood

Single White Fringe Geek (and Mom) is the blog of Matthew A. Everett, one of five bloggers covering the Minnesota Fringe Festival for the Daily Planet.

What can I say? I was greatly amused by the puppet entrails of the Fringe-For-All preview. Happens to be close by the Rarig, where we need to spend the bulk of our evening, so puppet entrails it shall be. Besides, Mom hasn’t seen a single puppet yet this Fringe, so her experience would not be quite complete without one. Show page here, video clip here.

7pm
Beowulf or Gilgamesh – You Decide – Chopping Block & Charlie Bethel – Rarig Center Arena

In my original post on No Refunds’ “Sun Tzu’s The Art of War” (great, by the way! see it) I mentioned that the spirit of Charlie Bethel was with us at the Fringe even if he himself was elsewhere. Well, guess what? He’s here! He came for a visit and when a last minute slot opened up in the festival schedule for Chopping Block, they called Charlie and now he’s not just visiting and seeing the Fringe, he’s in the Fringe. Not wanting to do a repeat of last year’s “Tom Thumb,” and his latest piece not being quite ready for audiences, he thought he’d call on a couple of old friends – “Beowulf” and “Gilgamesh.” But he couldn’t decide, so he’s letting the audience decide which story he’ll perform each night. If you like some extra control over your Fringe shows, this one’s for you. Mom and I can’t wait. Show page here, video clip here.

8:30pm
American Sexy – New Theatre Group – Rarig Center Arena

Another returning favorite. Director Brian Balcom always works with great playwrights and great actors, creating a brand new work tailor made for all the artists involved. After “How To Cheat” (which Mom loved, too), and last year’s “Killer Smile,” Mom and I are both really looking forward to seeing what the New Theater Group has up their sleeve this time. Show page here.

10pm
“The Bronze Bitch Flies At Noon” and “Dog Tag” (#3 of 5) – Magicword Theater – Rarig Center Arena

Mom’s friend David is now armed with a Fringe schedule of his own. We were plotting with and advising him on how to make the most of his 10 show punch pass (of which he’s already used four on his first day, Fringing like a pro). He’ll join us at the end of the day for what he’s taken to calling “Bitch Tag,” which I kind of like.

And it just so happens that the final slot in Mom’s Fringe-going adventure also happens to be the next performance of my little double feature. So it’s a nice way to round out her last day of Fringing with me before heading back east to the family homestead.

She will have given her Ultra Pass quite the workout – 34 performances of 32 shows (being the good mother that she is and seeing all three performances of my show while she was here). That’s a new high watermark for her in terms of volume of theater during a Fringe visit. Now she, and the Ultra Pass, can have a little rest. Til next year.

After tonight we’ve got just two more performances, tomorrow, Thursday, August 7th at 5:30pm, and Saturday, August 9th at 8:30pm. So catch us while you can. If you’ve already seen us, help spread the word among those you know, and maybe even post an audience comment or two on our show page. Video clip here. Write-ups here, here and here.

Entering his sixth year of blogging about the Minnesota Fringe Festival (and bringing Mom along for the ride as a guest reviewer), Matthew A. Everett is also a local playwright and three-time recipient of grant support from the Minnesota State Arts Board. Information on Matthew and his plays can be found at matthewaeverett.com.