Sub-Total
2018 Audience Reviews
Member Reviews
The following reviews were submitted by Fringe Member:
Company: Hot Chocolate Media
Show: Remy Raygun of the Space Brigade: A Build-Your-Own Space Opera
Venue: Augsburg Mainstage
Thanks for a Children's show
The playwright apparently set out to write a show for his 5 year old child. I really appreciate that, as a parent who has wanted to share our love of theater with children over the last several years, but has struggled to find anything that would be of interest to them. This show succeeded. The characters and actors were comic-book large and portrayed their multiple personalities in fun and different ways. The story was not necessarily original, but carried us along in the fun. And it was engaging for the adults as well as the children.
Company: The Bearded Company
Show: Swords & Sorcery: The Improvised Fantasy Campaign
Venue: Theatre in the Round
High initiative
My 10 year old child said, "you could really SEE the swords" in a tribute to how well the actors mimed their pretend props. Excellent improvisational interaction not only between the actors but the sound effects and live guitar as well. A fun show full of fantasy tropes. There is some swearing; if that is not a concern for you, it is a great show for kids.
Company: Monster Science Productions
Show: What To Do In Case Of Dinosaur Attack
Venue: Mixed Blood Theatre
Fun for the whole family
My whole family enjoyed it (10 and 12 year olds too), but I am glad we recently watched Jurassic Park as that was helpful context for us. Perhaps we should have shown them some Godzilla as well, but they have played "King of Tokyo," so they got the general gist. There was fun not-so-subtle political commentary mixed in as well as some real science. It is possible the slides could have been put to even better use, but in general the most engaging powerpoint and lecture I have ever attended. As folks who are leery of one-person shows, I found myself making excuses why this didn't really count as one, though it totally was.
Company: Pacific Midwest Ballet
Show: Zombies And Pirouettes
Venue: Southern Theater
Good, but not our thing
We are not dance people. We usually steer well clear of dance shows. This was was intriguing, piqued our interest and was indeed better than some, with a unique take on ballet and a little bit of a plot. I'll echo others on lauding Patient Zero who was an excellent actress and dancer. Not our thing really, but could see how it could be somebody's.
Company: Say It Loud Productions
Show: Revolt of the Beavers
Venue: Mixed Blood Theatre
Activist nerdy
Our children enjoyed this show, though many political references went over their heads, and they are fairly well versed as children go. Certainly not inappropriate for children if yours have the personality for waiting through the bits they don't get for the bits they do, and not being frustrated at not knowing why other people are laughing. If you have ever been in a union, socialist study group, or activist organization, this will speak to you. A fun update of a century old play. All of the actors did a great job, but I want to specifically call out the actors playing the professor, Oakleaf, and Chief. My understanding is that venues are distributed via a strict lottery. This show may display a reason to have exceptions to that policy - one of the actresses had to do her work off the stage due to her wheelchair. Fringe should have made a reasonable accommodation and found an accessible stage for this troupe. That said, the troupe did an admirable job of working with this defect in the space.
Company: Comedy Suitcase
Show: Slapdash Panic: Comedy Suitcase ended up in the Fringe Festival with 3 weeks notice and no show!
Venue: Strike Theater
Our kids loved it
This was mostly hilarious. I didn't really enjoy the dancing, and I'm extremely wary of audience participation, but otherwise this was a fun time. Get there early - the entertainment starts as soon as the doors open, before places is even called.
Company: So Shall I
Show: Estate of Affairs
Venue: Ritz Theater Studio
A fun farce
Fun, well-done, well-acted. Only complaint isn't with the show, but the space - audience members in the seats in the back end up needing to bob back and forth to see around the people in front of them. Arrive early to get good seats, and sit up close.
Company: Sidecar Theatre
Show: Summers in Prague
Venue: Rarig Center Arena
At times poignant and hilarious
There are moments in this show which are hilarious, and poignant moments of people trying to navigate through life and love. It portrays sex in a woman-friendly way, which is not common in our society.
Company: Life-sized Meme Productions
Show: The Moirologist
Venue: Ritz Theater Mainstage
deep
This looks like a comedy, and has some funny bits, but ends up taking on some serious issues. I appreciate the respectful treatment of prostitution that comes up in the piece. Well presented and acted. An intriguing character study.
Company: OverLaugh Productions
Show: YOUNGBLOOD IN THE DESERT/GATEWAY DRUG
Venue: Rarig Center Arena
Two good plays
The first play is enjoyable and surprisingly relevant. The second play is more introspective, and well executed. Both are entertaining.
Company: Berlin Productions
Show: I Never Knock
Venue: Augsburg Mainstage
Skip it
The best thing about this show was that it was only 25 minutes long, though it still felt like the full hour. It was supposed to be amusingly raunchy, but was instead weird and gross. Lines were dropped and fumbled. Cues and interruptions were missed. Characters and relationships were unbelievable. The "plot" was not present. And just when I felt I couldn't get a lower opinion, the had someone in drag come on stage obviously intended to play for laughs. I'm sorry, "man dressed as woman" stopped being "funny" a while ago.
Company: Mysterious Old Radio Listening Society
Show: The Mysterious Old Radio Listening Society Versus the Nazis
Venue: Rarig Center Thrust
Close your eyes and enjoy
It was good, and I wouldn't expect anything less from this talented group. It is fun to watch them create the sound effects, but close your eyes every now and then to get the true radio feel; the sound effects are different somehow when you experience it as a radio play.
Company: Ghoulish Delights, LLC
Show: The Screaming Skull
Venue: Rarig Center Thrust
Plan your seat well
Eric Webster does an amazing job. There is the slow building that is common to this style of old ghost story (or is it?), and the sound effects do an amazing job supporting this. I would say that with the flickering lights at the front and the sound effects from stage left, I'd recommend sitting on stage right, so that you don't have the flickering in your field of view and the sound effects don't cover the dialog.
Company: Mosaic Productions
Show: Hidden in This Picture
Venue: Rarig Center Arena
Crisp and fun
This was a fun show, and well performed! A great start to the fringe.