Threads review, mnfringe show 14, The Camp Out: a half dozen of the Twin Cities’ best improvisors, as a group of messy friends who don’t camp, gathering in the woods to say goodbye to an old friend, if they can hold their own sh*t together long enough to do so, delightfully awkward and very funny - 4.5 stars (my Fringe returning favorite write-up)
I noted in my pre-attendance write-up on this show that there was precious little information on their show page about what the show was actually going to be about, but that this wasn’t unusual in recent years from Mike Fotis. He knows his name, and the names of his four other castmates and co-creators, is enough to get people in the door to watch whatever they do. Because they deliver. He’s not wrong. And deliver yet again, they did.
“Thank you for speaking your needs.”
They have, however, added one tiny little extra bit of information since the last time I looked. On the More Information tab of their show page it now says, “Please know that this show touches on grief, death and loss.” (See side note toward the end of the review of “Teen Wolf Killed My Grandma - a memoir”) “Touches on” is just a bit of an understatement.
“It is well known that bears cannot figure out zippers.”
Even though “The Camp Out” is an improvised one-act play, I don’t believe that means that the broad outlines of it change radically from one night to the next. So I’m going to tread a bit more carefully than I normally do on improv shows, because I don’t want to spoil the surprises, of which there are several.
“I will sleep out here with you until it’s obvious that ghosts are around.”
A group of friends in their 40s go on a camping trip which, for most of them, is an unusual thing to do. But the reason they’re doing this is for a friend, who has died unexpectedly, and some of whose ashes have been sent to them by his young widow, to be taken out into the woods of Minnesota which he loved so much, so a bit of him could be scattered there. This turn of events has, understandably, caused everyone to re-evaluate themselves, where they are in their lives, and their relationships to those around them, particularly their closest friends and partners. Before the last of the ashes are scattered, there’s some unexpected news, and shifting relationships on several fronts.
“This trail couldn’t possibly be f**king darker.”
The personalities and comedy stylings of Mike Fotis, Rita Boersma, Tim Hellendrung, Nels Lennes, Heather Meyer and Danna Sheridan all bounce off one another well, creating laughs from their various quirks and tensions in relation to one another. The comedy of adults who don’t camp going camping, even for a somber purpose, is in full effect, from the awkwardness of trying to put up a tent, to the nervousness of wondering how close any bears might be. Also, we often hear about a person before they arrive onstage, so we can evaluate them with some context coming in. It’s a well-crafted outline of character and situation the ensemble has to build upon.
“You’re not a mystic. You sell Hondas.”
Balancing the two elements, quirky people on a serious mission, is tricky and the cast handles it well. The fluid nature of improv means that plot lines and interactions can trip over each other a bit sometimes, but it all still gets across. If we were watching a real set of friends in the woods, they wouldn’t have perfectly crafted dialogue either. And the fact that this Fringe show has some of the most set pieces I’ve seen in a show this year (two tents, a campfire, multiple coolers, and several large branches subbing in for trees, all crowding the humans onstage - in a good way) leads to it seeming a bit more real and less “theatrical/use your imagination to create the woods of Minnesota.” Again, a good thing.
“That’s the point of cocaine.”
“The Camp Out” is messy, but life is messy. Because everyone’s playing off each other and not overtly playing for laughs, even when it’s funny, which is often, it still feels real. The tone and conclusion the night I saw it were a little clunky, but they got there. And again, it’s hard to fault a show for trying to be more real and less staged. My expectations and desires as an audience member were jerking me around with this one.
“If you’ve got something uncomfortable to talk about, Dan will stay.”
Overall, it’s just a treat to watch a half dozen of the Twin Cities’ best improvisors and comedians all on one stage together, trying something a little different. You should join them on this trip to the woods. You’ll enjoy yourself.
4.5 Stars - Very Highly Recommended
Here's some handy links to coverage of shows I've seen in the Fringe this year getting 5 and 4.5 Stars (Very Highly Recommended), 4 and 3.5 Stars (Highly Recommended) as well as the shows ranking 3 stars or less; also links to this year's Top 10 list and Top 11-20 list, also a full list of all returning favorites to this year's Fringe, plus a link to ALL the 2024 Minnesota Fringe Festival coverage.
While I have your attention, please VOTE :)
Minnesota is currently in the early voting period
for our Congressional and local primaries (I had the U.S. Senate,
Congress, and the Minneapolis school board on my ballot) - final day to
vote in the primary is Tuesday, August 13th, but you don't have to wait
until Fringe is over, go vote right now :)
Early voting for the Presidential Election itself in Minnesota starts on Friday, September 20th.
We're lucky to have a lot of time to get our voices heard, so cast your
vote, and then make sure everyone you know and love is registered and
gets to the polls to vote. Election Day, your final date to vote, is Tuesday, November 5th.
As a queer playwright and theater maker, I want a government that's compassionate and competent enough to keep us all safe and healthy, keep theaters open and running, and personally, I'd just like to be legal myself and keep the weirdos out of government and out of my personal business (and the things I post on this blog, for instance). We all have our reasons, so let's make sure we get the leaders we need and deserve, and get our friends, family and co-workers to raise their voices, too.
Find where to vote and what's on your ballot (with links to candidate websites) and other resources at the Minnesota Secretary of State's website.
For other resources on how to register, volunteer or donate, locally or nationally, check out Vote Save America.
Vote. Raise your voice. We're not going back.
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