Live Nude Fringe Revisited

Well, someone must have missed the naughty bits.

Last year, there were only 3 Fringe shows with Nudity warnings (even though there was also a skeletal marionette who was kind of disappointed he didn't qualify)

This year, 11.

Some of it would appear obvious; others, I guess it's just as well we were forewarned.

A Year In The Life of Slippery Goodstuff (if the title weren't enough of a tip-off) is about an amnesiac who reinvents himself as a porn star - something like that almost requires nudity, doesn't it?

Axis Mundi - two men, nudity, but no queer content - rough and tumble physical theatre, the company's name is Aggravated Assault, they also have a violence warning and the publicity photo shows one man strangling the other with some cord or rope, so I'm guessing sensuality isn't the point here.

City Pagez: The Show doesn't immediately cry out "Look! We're Nude!" but their publicity image does include some vaguely S&M headgear so that's a clue. Oh those wacky dominatrixes (dominatrii?)

Donuts & Bow-Ties - again, the title isn't a dead giveaway, but this is brought to us by someone whose 2002 Fringe show was called "Mr. God and the Walrus Taint" (and if you don't know why "taint" is a giveaway, I really shouldn't go into it here)

Dressing Room - well, it's set in a dressing room at Via's Vintage Wear. It could be salacious, but more likely it's just part of the site specific nature of the beast.

In Defense of Sin (My Friends' Best Stories)- sin, the Ministry of Cultural Warfare, need we say more? 'Bout time they flirted with a nudity warning. As our presidential candidates are so fond of droning, "Bring it on."

Nightwatches - description includes both dark passion *and* deep secrets. Plus a little night and a little watching in the title

Tasteless - here we have a claim of being "the most dangerously seductive show in the Fringe" plus references to pulsating, the exposed female form, pelvic gyration and all things oral, so they can't say they didn't warn us.

The 7 Project - what would a film showcase ruminating on the Seven Deadly Sins be without a little nudity? Sadly, Brad Pitt is not involved this time. But I'm still going because I like the concept.

The Devils - possessed nuns, tailor-made for a nudity warning

The Lost Vegas Series (How Not To Get F***** In The City of Sin) - Take your pick - a riff on the name of our country's "go-to" city for forensic science and legal hookers, Sin or F****** in the title.

Most of them, not too surprising nudity might be involved. However, it's very nice of the Fringe and the artists to warn us it's coming.

And if you were looking for a little R or NC-17 style stagecraft, this year the Fringe is packing plenty to go around.

(For more of my writing - plays, past blog entries and more - visit www.matthewaeverett.com)