Sub-Total
2018 Audience Reviews
Member Reviews
The following reviews were submitted by Fringe Member:
Company: TROMPE L'OEIL
Show: Bits & Bobs: An Evening of Short Plays
Venue: Theatre in the Round
A fun evening of short plays
I really liked each of the short plays, from the funny ones to the more serious one.
Company: GIRL Theatre
Show: Gay Hot American Summer
Venue: Rarig Center Arena
Great idea and acting, ok writing
I really enjoyed the overall premise/plot and thought the acting was good, but only found the actual script to be so/so.
Company: Mermaid Productions
Show: Have You Seen This Girl?
Venue: Hard Times Cafe
Interesting concept
I’m conflicted about this “show.” One one hand, it was an interesting “walking tour” and commentary about the West Bank area and the “children on the fringes of society” that call the area home (at least according to this show). On the other hand, the premise of and “encounters” during this show still feel a bit contrived. I found myself wondering whether the story was inspired by true events.If anything, a more detailed intro and a Q&A session after would have helped that.
Company: The Bearded Company
Show: Swords & Sorcery: The Improvised Fantasy Campaign
Venue: Theatre in the Round
A fun comedic experience
A super fun show that’s not like any other in Fringe. Think of it as improv with a fantasy twist. Even as someone who’s never played D&D, I really enjoyed the show!
Company: FredPictures
Show: The Breakfast Club: The Musical!
Venue: Southern Theater
An entertainging romp through a popular movie
This musical really brought me back to the 80's and the Breakfast Club, which it pays homage to. However, while some parts were really entertaining and funny, others were quite slow. I particularly liked Denzel Belin and Abigail Swoap's roles in this show, they both did a phenomenal job at their roles. However, I thought some of the other characters just didn't work well in this musical. Still, a fun show.
Company: So Shall I
Show: Estate of Affairs
Venue: Ritz Theater Studio
Wondefully fun show!
Great acting, a funny and entertaining plot, and a pro LGBT/feminist message. What more could you want from a fringe show?
Company: Foxlin
Show: Next: The Musical (A Sidekick Story)
Venue: Augsburg Studio
Amazing talent from a young cast!
Look for these kids to be on broadway or the big screen in a few years, because they have a TON of talent! A fun play that is very family friendly but entertaining to audiences of all ages. Great original music and a cool plot line.
Company: Mysterious Old Radio Listening Society
Show: The Mysterious Old Radio Listening Society Versus the Nazis
Venue: Rarig Center Thrust
A solid radio show
Good acting and cool sound effects.
Company: Monster Science Productions
Show: What To Do In Case Of Dinosaur Attack
Venue: Mixed Blood Theatre
A funny plot, but needs more polishing
A really funny monologue with lots of hilarious jokes and some great pop-culture references (can you say Dinosaucers?!). However, I would say that he really handicapped the show by not having more of it memorized: some of his jokes fell flat because he jumbled the punch lines. If he's going to read off of a script, he needs to be more polished than this. Still, a fun romp that's worth seeing.
Company: Sheep Theater
Show: Kaboom
Venue: Rarig Center Thrust
Great fun and non-stop laughing!
Get ready for an edge-of-your-seat, laugh-out-loud joy ride that will keep you entertained and leave you wanting more!
Company: Say It Loud Productions
Show: Revolt of the Beavers
Venue: Mixed Blood Theatre
A little too serious
This play starts out pretty slow and serious and then becomes much more lighthearted as it goes and funny (but still with an important message). I definitely appreciated the overall theme and acting, but the play was way too heavy and slow at times.
Company: Comedy Suitcase
Show: Slapdash Panic: Comedy Suitcase ended up in the Fringe Festival with 3 weeks notice and no show!
Venue: Strike Theater
Fun and entertaining, but slow at times
For only having three weeks to write a show, these two did a great job. This is a mostly sketch (or rehearsed sketch) comedy with some insanely funny moments but also some slower, less funny parts in the middle. Yes, you will be mostly entertained for the whole hour, and definitely come if you like stand-up and sketch routines. However, there are some parts that felt awkward (ironically, the "awkward silence part either" was not one of them!) as well.
Company: schneeman
Show: Sober Housemate Wanted
Venue: Rarig Center Xperimental
Please don't waste your time.
I'm not really sure what show all of these "five star" reviewers saw, because the one we went to was quite possibly the worst Fringe show we have ever seen (and we've been to festivals all over the country, not just here in Minneapolis). The dialogue was clumsy and rambling, most of the jokes fell flat, timing was pretty off, there was little emotion (aside from "Richard"), and there was almost no character development. As another reviewer said, all these five star ratings do NOT accurately reflect the quality of this show. It's a pass.
Company: The Adventures of Les Kurkendaal
Show: Walking While Black in Moscow
Venue: Ritz Theater Studio
Just as funny in Minneapolis as Fresno
I had the privileged of seeing Les at both the Rogue Festival in Fresno and Minnesota Fringe, and both shows were funny, heartfelt monologues about the (often humorous, but sometimes serious) challenges he faced while visiting Russia with his husband, a country that is not always the most friendly and welcoming of people who aren't straight and white. Yes, you'll laugh at all the funny things that happened to Les in Russia, but you will also come away with a deeper insight of the challenges he faced too.
Company: minnerican productions
Show: Broken English, Mother Tongue
Venue: Mixed Blood Theatre
From the heart political commentary
This show starts out as a fairly tame depiction of the life of a Puerto Rican family, but the from-the-heart ending really made this one-man monologue great.
Company: Weggel-Reed Productions
Show: Couple Fight: The Musical!
Venue: Rarig Center Thrust
A great show with one caviat
I loved every part of it...especially the European Vacation, CrossFit, Bathroom, Law And Order, and Cooking "fights"...but really did not care for the "fight" about the Labyrinth and Dark Crystal, which was confusing and somewhat boring for someone who hasn't seen either movie. Otherwise a funny, entertaining show!
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Company: Wayward Theatre Company
Show: Far Away by Caryl Churchill
Venue: Rarig Center Arena
Good show but disjointed
Great acting, props, and overall idea in a "Hunger Games" like story. However, the different scenes had rough transitions that were, at times, confusing.
Company: Tom Reed
Show: Gunplay!
Venue: Mixed Blood Theatre
Tied so far for my favorite Fringe show!
The perfect blend of political satire, comedy, and romantic story. An amazing show that should travel the country!
Company: Mosaic Productions
Show: Hidden in This Picture
Venue: Rarig Center Arena
Tied so far for my favorite Fringe show!
Wowza, what a great show! Drama, humor, surprise...it's a great idea that's beautifully executed!
Company: The Young Company
Show: How to Fix It
Venue: Rarig Center Arena
A good first try
Lots of high points (such as the HW court scene and the Gumball Machine skit), but slow at times too. Still, a great start for total Fringe newbies!
Company: Colleen Somerville Productions
Show: Not Fair, My Lady!
Venue: Mixed Blood Theatre
A must-see show, but you must be into musicals
A great message that needs to be said. I especially loved the opening Beauty and the Beast number, and each character's REAL monologue about how racism/sexism/ageism has affected them. However, as someone who hasn't seen quite a few of the musicals they referenced (like "Guys and Dolls" or "Sound of Music") and hasen't even heard of "Carousel" (maybe that's a good thing?), I was super confused at times. You really need to be a fan of musical theater to completely get this play. No matter what, though, the overall message hits home.
Company: Michael Rogers
Show: Now We See It
Venue: Ritz Theater Mainstage
GREAT music, acting, and theactrics, but confusing
Absolutely great music (best in Fringe?), great theatrics, and superb acting by the two main characters (the scene where they were sitting on the side/front of the stage together was amazing). But, a confusing message that went over my head.
Company: Flash Grenade Productions
Show: The Flashlight Zone: 20 Science Fiction Plays in One Hour
Venue: Theatre in the Round
Great Fun!
A fun science fiction comedy. Really loved the mime skit!
Company: Literally Entertainment
Show: The Great Canadian Maple Syrup Heist or, Ocean's 'Eh'T?: A Musical
Venue: Mixed Blood Theatre
Great Fun!
A fun romp with all the cliché Canadian jokes thrown in!
Company: Life-sized Meme Productions
Show: The Moirologist
Venue: Ritz Theater Mainstage
Promising show but not polished
This show has a lot of promise and is an intriguing idea (think of it a little like "Wedding Crashers"), but the cast was not polished and noticeably botched a fair number of lines. Also, some of the tones/emotions of the cast were not quite believeable. We saw the first show, so maybe it's better now, but it really seemed like they needed more practice.
Company: Ghoulish Delights, LLC
Show: The Screaming Skull
Venue: Rarig Center Thrust
Amazing
Astounding acting and chilling sound effects. A must see!