(Reminder: There are no encore slots this year for the best-selling
show in each venue. So there is no extra final chance to catch a
popular show at the end of the Fringe schedule. Once they're gone,
they're gone, so catch the good shows and/or shows you're really
interested in before they disappear)
Abeyance - Tyler West - Strike Theater
show 30 - Abeyance - Tyler West's combination of mime, comedy,
self-generated live sound FX, and interaction with audience members on
and off stage is a delight - 5 stars -
(FINAL SHOW (TONIGHT) - Sun 8/12 8:30pm)
Attention Seeker - That's Enough Drama - Southern Theater
tweet review - show 47 - Attention Seeker -
was a fantastic way to end a long day of Fringing; enormously
entertaining, high energy, as funny as he is awkward (which is to say,
very); a jolt of comedy to recharge your theatergoing batteries - 5
stars -
(FINAL SHOW (TODAY) - 8/12 7pm)
Couple Fight: The Musical - Weggel-Reed Productions - Rarig Thrust
show 28 - Couple Fight: The Musical - perfect show to be Mom's last for
Fringe this year; ridiculous fights between couples who love each
other, that this time around burst into song; easily my favorite version
of Couple Fight so far - 5 stars -
(FINAL SHOW (TODAY) - Sun 8/12 1pm)
Cyrano On The Moon - Red Dice Collective - Ritz Studio
tweet review -
show 45 - Cyrano On The Moon - What a delightful way to bring Cyrano,
Roxanne, and Christian back together again and give them all a strange
but happy ending; don't know Cyrano de Bergerac? no worries, there's a
dumb show recap at the top - 5 stars -
(FINAL SHOW (TODAY) - 8/12 2:30pm)
Dangerous When Wet: Booze, Sex and My Mother - Jamie Brickhouse - Augsburg Studio
tweet review - #mnfringe show 16 - Dangerous When Wet: Booze, Sex and My
Mother - @jamiebrickhouse weaves a tale you couldn't tell just
anybody's mother, but my Mom and I both liked it a lot; Brickhouse
spares neither his mother nor himself but it's a hell of a story - 5
stars -
(FINAL SHOW (TONIGHT) - Sun 8/12 7pm)
Link to full "Dangerous When Wet" review
Dreaming - Gabriel Mata/Movements - Southern Theater
tweet review - show 4 - Dreaming -
is so smart about how to put together a Fringe show, it's scary;
stunning; darker than last year, but SO good, so meticulously laid out;
may be not just the best dancer, but also one of the best performers;
damn - 5 stars
tweet review -
show 29 - Dreaming - yes, I went to see it a 2nd time; a Fringe show so
good it lifted my spirits at the end of the day; in my opinion, one of
the very best of the whole festival this year - 5 stars
- (CLOSED)
Link to full "Dreaming" review
The Flashlight Zone: 20 Science Fiction Plays In One Hour - Flash Grenade Productions - TRP
tweet
review - #mnfringe show 19 - The Flashlight Zone: 20 Sci-Fi Plays in
One Hour (order chosen at random by audience) - figured I'd like it,
pleasantly surprised by how much I loved it; someone asked Twilight
Zone/Dark Mirror? I replied more Bradbury/Douglas Adams sci-fi - 5 stars -
(CLOSED)
Link to full "Flashlight Zone" review
Fruit Flies Like A Banana - The Fourth Wall - Celtic Junction
tweet review - show 11 - Fruit Flies Like A Banana -
adapt to the Family Fringe like the pros they are, even when kids rush
the stage; a shame the amazing things they do won't be fully appreciated
till the kids are older and realize how hard it is - 5 stars -
(FINAL SHOW (TODAY), Sun 8/12 1:30pm)
Link to full "Fruit Flies" review
A Gertrude Stein Christmas - Theatre Unbound - Augsburg Mainstage
tweet
review - #mnfringe show 17 - A Gertrude Stein Christmas -
@TheatreUnbound's got a weird one here, but bless Stein's oddball little
heart; strange dialogue interpreted as all-female holiday family tale
dealing with dementia and introducing a new girlfriend to the clan - 5
stars -
(CLOSED)
Link to full "Gertrude Stein Christmas" review
Gunplay - Tom Reed - Mixed Blood Theater
tweet review -
show 9 - Gunplay - A sharp satirical musical with an ensemble full of
great performers and a lot of laughs. If only the real gun lobbyists
were as easy to defeat as the ones in this play - 5 stars -
(FINAL SHOW (TODAY) - Sun 8/12 4pm)
Link to full "Gunplay" review
Illinois Boy Blues - Deacon Gamzee Productions - Augsburg Studio
show 27 - Illinois Boy Blues - the phrase master class is overused but
actors take note, *this* is how you use the entire range of your voice
to create characters, tell a story, and truly connect with your audience
- wow - great solo performance - 5 stars -
(CLOSED)
Link to full "Illinois Boy Blues" review
The Immaculate Big Bang - Bill Santiago - Strike Theater
show 32 - Immaculate Big Bang -
gave his all despite a tiny crowd; neither cynical nor sentimental,
despite content on young daughter and death of father; refreshingly
smart, irreverent, very funny stand-up show mixing science/religion - 5
stars -
(CLOSED)
Link to full "Immaculate Big Bang" review
A Justice League of Their Own - Mainly Me Productions - TRP
tweet review -
show 8 - A Justice League of Their Own - Mom said “It’s almost like you
have to see it more than once just to catch it all. You want to laugh
but there’s so much in that show you’re afraid you’ll miss the next
really funny thing” - 5 stars -
(FINAL SHOW (TONIGHT) - Sun 8/12 5:30pm)
The Mysterious Old Radio Listening Society vs. The Nazis - Rarig Thrust
tweet review -
show 12 - The Mysterious Old Radio Listening Society vs. The Nazis - 2
classic radio programs with Nazi villains being vanquished, lovingly
recreated down to the performance style and sound FX; couldn't ask for a
more fun time more perfectly executed - 5 stars -
(FINAL SHOW (TONIGHT) - Sun 8/12 5:30pm)
Link to full "Mysterious Old Radio Society" review
Not Fair, My Lady - Colleen Somerville Productions - Mixed Blood Theater
tweet review -
show #1 - Not Fair, My Lady - Perfect way to start our Fringe; the
singing, the politics, the attitude, the swearing; listen to these
women; could easily end up being one of the best things in the festival
this year - 5 stars -
(CLOSED)
Link to full "Not Fair, My Lady" review
Now We See It - Michael Rogers - Ritz Mainstage
tweet review -
show 42 - Now We See It - took a while to finally see this one but it
was worth the wait; the actual horror of childhood trauma gets channeled
thru a demon pursuing a man into his own past to help his teenage self
try to avoid the worst; great stuff - 5 stars -
(FINAL SHOW (TONIGHT) - Sun 8/12 8:30pm)
A Part Of Me - Imagined Theatre - Southern
tweet review -
show 36 - A Part Of Me - super solid musical in a Fringe-sized package;
integrates then elevates music; book, lyrics and music really work
together; impressive cast, strong voices; also about something (organ
donation) w/out hitting you over the head - 5 stars -
(FINAL SHOW (TODAY) - Sun 8/12 2:30pm)
Link to full "A Part of Me" review
Self-Titled Debut Album - Philip Simondet - Mixed Blood
tweet review -
show 35 - Self-Titled Debut Album - such a deceptively simple gimmick:
each song gives us character, plot, spotlights a different part of the
band; the songs are so damn clever (and meta, but not annoying - bonus);
delivers on its promise in a big way - 5 stars -
(FINAL SHOW (TODAY) - Sun 8/12 1pm)
Link to full "Self-Titled Debut Album" review
Summers In Prague - Sidecar Theatre - Rarig Arena
tweet review -
show 10 - Summers In Prague - Mom said "Wow. This is the best thing
we've seen." A lovely, well-crafted new play about an unconventional
romance given life by a great production team and two fantastic
performances - 5 stars -
(FINAL SHOW (TONIGHT) - Sun 8/12 7pm)
Link to full "Summers In Prague" review
The Things They Carried - Beardog Productions - Ritz Studio
tweet review -
show 46 - The Things They Carried - Jim Stowell is a masterful
storyteller, and this Fringe-sized excerpt from Tim O'Brien's classic
Vietnam War story is a perfect fit for Stowell's powerful performing
gifts - 5 stars -
(FINAL SHOW (TODAY) - 8/12 4pm)
Walking While Black In Moscow - Les Kurkendaal - Ritz Studio
tweet review - show 7 - Walking While Black In Moscow -
is back, having survived being both black and gay while visiting Russia
(where it turns out he has roots); another surreal trip mined for
another delightful Fringe adventure - 5 stars -
(CLOSED)
Link to full "Walking While Black In Moscow" review
Whales - Hit The Lights! Theater Co. - Ritz Mainstage
tweet review - show 22 - Whales -
owned the whole Ritz Theatre space and the audience with shadow
puppetry, punk rock sea shanty anthems, and a deconstruction of Moby
Dick that was a hell of a lot of fun (doesn't sound like it should work,
but it sure does) - 5 stars -
(CLOSED)
Link to full "Whales" review
The Womyn’s Mysteries - See-Saw Theater Lab - Minnsky Theatre
tweet review -
show 23 - The Womyn's Mysteries - an unexpected winner; Mom said "I've
got chills" when it was does; an all-female ensemble excavates and
resurrects the stories of women in the origins of the Judeo-Christian
tradition - 5 stars -
(REMAINING SHOWS (TODAY) - Sun 8/12 2:30pm)
Link to full "Womyn's Mysteries" review
Youngblood in the Desert/Gateway Drug - OverLaugh Productions - Rarig Arena
tweet review -
show 33 - Youngblood In The Desert / The Gateway Drug - 2 actors, 2
one-act plays about 2 guys lost in the world who find each other (in a
non-homoerotic sort of way) - once in the Crusades, once in small town
America, both well-written and well-acted - 5 stars -
(FINAL SHOW (TODAY) - Sun 8/12 4pm)
Here's some handy links to reviews of
4.5 Star Shows,
4 Star Shows,
3 Star Shows, and my full
Top 10,
Top 11-20 and
Returning Favorites lists.
