by Matthew A. Everett • July 25, 2008 • “Erotic massages do not count as chi”
“The strange story of five girls who experience the most absurd audition ever seen by mankind. Anything can happen in this show of unfortunate events filled with humor mystery and a lot of Smartwater.”
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.
This was just odd enough to be charming – the guy who gave instructions and then pranced offstage, the weird girl wandering around in her pajamas with a tiny radio (that matched her pajamas), the reading off of letter cards that was suddenly interrupted by…
“A-U-D-I-S-S-S-S- bicycle- S-S…”
and so on.
The two authors are to be commended for writing a ton of roles in this thing for women, not something you often see from male writers (guilty myself, I confess).
The stumbling block here for me is it’s set in the world of a theater audition. I just don’t find art about art very compelling. I’d rather see art reflect life, and not life in the arts. Self-conscious, self-referential theater as a rule leaves me cold. That’s just one of my entertainment prejudices. I admit it. There are exceptions, but not many. And the people involved in this show may not be all that interested in gay romantic comedies. The Fringe is a big tent, thankfully.
The preview wasn’t without its charms. I’m just not sure it’s enough to get it on my short list of things I have to go see this year. Check out the video clip on their show page or the Fringe’s YouTube page and make up your own mind.
You can also follow along on their blog if you like at http://whatsanaudish.blogspot.com/
Location, dates and times, and ticket info can be found 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.
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