Hinge of the Fringe: Go west, young (wo)m(a/e)n

Moving on to the West Bank, y'all. (The Rarig Center will be getting its own post, due to the large number of shows.)

At the Mixed Blood Theater we have Bite Me Twilight, which perhaps unexpectedly, constitutes one of the shows by artists I haven't seen before. I have witnessed Tom Reed's work at previews and various open-mikes around town -- enough to be impressed by his chops (and his acting isn't bad, either, rim-shot) -- but missed his last show, Parry Hotter and the Half-Drunk Twins -- one of several at the Fringe alive last year. I've read the first two of the four Twilight books -- enough to regard them as presenting one of the most detailed portraits of an abusive relationship I've ever encountered -- and look forward to watching them be ripped to shreds.

Also in the same venue is See You Next Tuesday, presented by stolidly sturdy stalwarts Walking Shadow. Perhaps of more relevant interest is the fact that it's written by Steve Moulds. I've had mixed feelings regarding his last two Fringe shows, but I was sufficiently amused by last year's effort (Buyer's Remorse) to be eager to check out his next one.

There's an embarrassment of riches over at the Playwrights' Center. Can Michael Come Out and Play? is, beyond question, one of my most anticipated shows of the year. Mahmoud Hakima stormed onto the storytelling scene with Two Bowls of Cereal and Some Bacon, an impressive initial effort that was both heartfelt and well-structured. With that show, he established himself as someone with at least one great story to tell -- the question of whether or not he's go staying power as a storyteller may be answered by this one.

Do Not Kill Me, Killer Robots! is a show that would have caught my interest even if I didn't know the author (the co-creator of Orange in 2008). It has a premise that's tailor-made for Fringe:

Set in the very near future, "Do Not Kill Me, Killer Robots" presents a world where the entire human population has been reduced to one (namely, writer/performer Ben Egerman) by a murderous horde of robots. Locking himself in as secure a building as he could find, he prepares for the robots' inevitable arrival. Luckily, he knows the robots' only true weakness-the line of their programming code that inexplicably prevents them from killing during a one-man show.

He's already getting some great press in the DC Fringe, so All Signs Point To Yes

At the Southern Theater is ONEymoon, co-created with Fringe favorite Jimmy Hogg. I've got absolutely no good excuse -- I've known the guy for years, I've drunk with him, I've argued with him, he's a total rock star every time he comes into town, and I've still utterly failed to see even one of his shows. Here's hoping the synchronicity highway takes me out his way this time.

Finally, at Theatre in the Round is Oedipus Rocks! Has anyone else detected a major Greek theme this year? I'm the last guy in the world to complain, but, huh. Obviously, it's working, at least on me. It's a giddy musical parody of Greek shit. Yes, of course I'll be in the audience.

...circling the drain...

Phillip Andrew Bennett Low