THEATER REVIEWS | Minnesota Fringe Festival 2012: Day five

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• Morgan Halaska wasn’t impressed by A Comedy of Edits. She made it to the late showing of Jay Gabler’s Ivory Tower Burning (is there even such a thing of conflict of interest when it comes to the Fringe?).• Matthew Everett gave 4 stars to The Love Show!, 5 stars to An Agony of Fools, and 3 stars to Christopher Street.• Phillip Low also raved about An Agony of Fools but not so much about Moonshine, Madness, and Murder. Take a look at all of Phillip’s reviews here.• John Bailey made a night of it seeing Curt and Laura Used to Be Good at Gymnastics and Stuff.• Kate Hoff reviewed Fear Factor: Canine Edition, Storms Beneath her Skin, Even yours, and Starf*cker.  Continue Reading

Minnesota Fringe Festival 2012: “Ivory Tower Burning” at Bryant-Lake Bowl

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Jay Gabler’s Ivory Tower Burning revolves around one imagined conversation between sociologists C. Wright Mills (played by Joe Gabler, who looked sharp in his suit and bow tie from Blacklist Vintage) and Talcott Parsons (Jay Gabler). Taking place in Parson’s Harvard office in 1960 (during the Cold War), the two debate fiercely, trying to get the other to see that, well, they’re right and the other is wrong. Continue Reading

Minnesota Fringe Festival 2012: “A Comedy of Edits” at the U of M Rarig Arena

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Allegra Lingo gives fair warning in the program of A Comedy of Edits that her show is about writing, which isn’t everyone’s “bag of beans.” Having graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in writing-intensive English, I was looking forward to the show (I love reading about writing!). But while it’s clear from the script that Lingo is a damn good and educated writer, the show never grabbed or inspired me like I was hoping it would. The content is extremely dense—quickly jumping from a Virginia Woolf quote to a James Joyce reference. In my post-work sleepy state of mind, I wasn’t exactly in tip-top state to absorb the content either. And writing this review-blurb just hours after seeing the show, I can’t even remember a quote or produce a concise thought of the show; A Comedy of Edits just didn’t take with me. Continue Reading

Fringe envy

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This is my second year blogging for the Fringe Festival (last year it was for the about-to-be-defunct METRO magazine). I remember feeling anxious about what to see and how to fit it in with my schedule last year. Even though I saw a good chunk of shows last year, I missed a lot. Even if I was able to see a show in every single time slot (55 shows), it’s just one slice of the fat Fringe pie (165 shows).  Continue Reading

THEATER REVIEWS | Minnesota Fringe Festival 2012: Day four

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• Matthew Everett says that Present State Movement’s Sin Eater and Dovetail Theatre’s Rip are two of the three must-sees of the Fringe this year. Mumble Mumble Productions’ Evil Dicks comes with a little less than enthusiastic recommendation (but a recommendation nonetheless).• Wendy Gennula recommends blank slate theatre’s Annalyzing the Bully and The Complete Works of William Shatner (abridged). Read Wendy’s reviews of Answered Prayers, A Comedy of Edits, and Silence, a Deaf Musical. For something cute and light, see Pop-Up Musical.• Kate Hoff loved Accidental Hero, Mary Mack’s Anti One-Woman show, Ivory Tower Burning, and The Love Show.• Matthew Everett’s mom got into the sold-out TROY! The Musical and loved it (As told to Matthew Everett).• Director Tyler Olsen gives some background on his show, Twist of Fate.• Jay Gabler can’t see as many shows as he’d like this year since he’s starring in his own (Ivory Tower Burning), but he lists that ones he would see. Continue Reading

Minnesota Fringe Festival 2012: “The Habits of Seven Highly Offensive People” at HUGE

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When I was making my tentative schedule of shows for this year’s Fringe, I came across The Habits of Seven Highly Offensive People. The blurb reads: Examine the foibles and hypocrisies of the human condition. This edgy, satirical look at American life goes after American stereotypes with a vengeance. Yup, sounded like something that should be on my must-see list. Continue Reading

THEATER REVIEWS | Minnesota Fringe Festival 2012: Days two & three

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• Wendy Gennaula enjoyed the dancing of Nucleus … and Other Cell Bodies.• Morgan Halaska liked Four Humors’ Candide as much as she could (for not having read Voltaire’s version beforehand … ) and wasn’t offended at all by The Habits of Seven Highly Offensive People.• Matthew Everett raves about Transatlantic Love Affair’s Ash Land and Gay Bandidtos.• Rachel Reiva added A Comedy of Edits and Ivory Tower to her list of shows seen.• Kate Hoff had nothing but good things to say about Sin Eater and enjoyed the “Fringey”ness of The Habit. She also raves about Scarborough Fair, Gay Bandidtos, Carol and Cotton, Minnesota’s Crime of the Century, and Class of 98. Kate had two different audience experiences with Cecily and Gwendolyn’s Twin Cities Anthropological Inquisitorial Probe and Lady Love.• Phillip Low introduces himself. Continue Reading

Minnesota Fringe Festival 2012: “Candide” at the U of M Rarig Center Thrust

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Overhead after the show: “Now I don’t have to read the book. Good.”

Candide, Four Humors Fringe show this year, is a satire of the 1759 French satire by Voltaire. And while I don’t think it’s absolutely necessary to have read the novella beforehand (I didn’t), I have to disagree with the woman who said this. Not having read the book creates a slight disadvantage, as you’re not quite as privy to all the jokes. Continue Reading

THEATER REVIEWS | Minnesota Fringe Festival 2012: Day One

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• John Munger urges you to think outside “the blocks” and enjoyed the nuanced dance show Voices of Power.  
• Morgan Halaska decided on the dumpster-diving Waste Not by matters of deduction.  
• Wendy Gennaula saw blood drawn (for real) during The Gentlemen’s Pratfall Club: An Uplifting Comedy About Falling Down.  
• Kate Hoff lists off shows that are safe bets.  
• Matthew Everett gives Out of Towners a higher spot in his top 20 shows. Continue Reading