Audience Reviews of Anablep and Other Oddities at SF Fringe Festival 2002


		SAN FRANCISCO FRINGE FESTIVAL AUDIENCE REVIEWS
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CLICK HERE FOR A RECENT REVIEWS IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER CLICK ON PLAY FOR AUDIENCE REVIEWS FOR THAT PLAY <52 American Appetite: Tales of Dirty Young Boys & Spry Old Men, The An Evening At Home Anablep and Other Oddities Back to Kroenig Beckett's Last Dance Beneath Sita's Belly Black Box Confessions Blue Sofa Candistan Caught Sleeping Cleopatra!-And Antony ClockBusters Death Blow - The Show Devouring Time Engineer and The Artist, The Enronicles Exit Laughing! F--king Handicapped Guy Fred Anderson -Professional Goofball! Full Spectrum Improvisation George Bush's Nuts Getting It Wrong Guano dell' Amore - ("Birdshit of Love") Gulag Ha Ha Interactive Solo Performer Daniel Packard Ken and Andy Show, The Lillie, A Musical Looking, Then Pointing Mad Adventures of Chaos For Hire, The Me Laugh You Long Time Menopause and Desire: Or Why Must I Be Middle Aged and In Love? Microclimates: A Crime Against Gravity or The Burrito From Sausalito My Son, the Mummy: Episode Pi nEO-sURREALIST sYSTEMS pRESENTS: HOE- DOWN!!!!! Objects In Mirror (May Be Closer Than They Appear) OUTTAKES: Monologues, Stories, and Social Commentary Rise And Fall of The US/them Empire, The Smashing Icons Something You Might Want Song in Your Blood, The Spray Stranger In Woodstock Surfing Toasters Survival of the Fit Enough/ Fern Talking To Myself Tangled Uncle Jacques' Symphony Underground Movement Theatre Upper Canada Cougar Movement, The Valentine's Play Time Way Light Strikes Filled Mason Jars, The Winterkill Woods For The Trees Zucchini: The Forbidden Dance!		lay: Anablep & Other Oddities Reviewer: Vince Vitale Reviewer Email: WorldGazer@aol.com Rating: 5 Stars Taking a cue from Webster's, dancers Karen Krolak, Nicole Harris and Amelia O'Dowd take archaic and little-known words from the dictionary to build dance performances on the concepts and definitions. Audience members choose from a "menu" of words. Because the opening is comedic, I expected the dance to be also. But no. Nicole Harris' "Lachrymatory" is soft and lyrical movement. "Ataxic" and "Pygalgia" likewise built movement upon the meanings of the words, which I don't have to define for you, because you of course are intimately familiar with their meanings. (!!!????!!) Thank God the audience didn't choose "Drouken" or "Firk!" Although I was curious about "Spiss." The Monkeyhouse dancers literally give "meaningfulness" to dance. Play: Anablep & Other Oddities Reviewer: StephMDSC Reviewer Email: Rating: 4 Stars Interesting and very amusing at points, although not everything worked for me ... I particularly liked the opening piece, especially the interaction between the "together" dancer and the one who was trying to hard to be just the same. I wanted to see more of the unusual prop-work, stilts and roller skates and all ... liked some of the funnier pieces (the gal trying to flirt the 'right' way, the dance with the male audience voiceover) but mostly wished they had been shorter. Most frustrating was how much of the night was performed downstage, on the floor, which meant if you weren't in the front row you couldn't see much of anything. And BOY does Exit on Taylor get hot. But overall I was glad I saw this one, bright and entertaining stuff. Play: Anablep & Other Odities Reviewer: S.M.S. Reviewer Email: Rating: 4 Stars I might have rated 3 stars but for the opening piece which was definitely a 5! The opening number was quite fresh and innovative, combining stilt and ball work with quirky, clever costume to create an image to amuse the eye and mind. After that, the show consisted primarily of solo works, several of which were moving and / or very funny. Namely, the plunger falicy bit with a male observer's rambling inner perspective of the whole thing. The performers were very strong movers technically but watching a show of loosely strung solos can get a little old to this viewer. Actually, I should say that the first piece started me off with such awe and excitement, I wanted more of the same or similar. It would be great to see these performers produce some more ensemble work to share each other's wonderful dynamics. Oh, and love the adventure of the "Menue" to choose the pieces! Play: Anablep and other Oddities Reviewer: John Lewis Reviewer Email: jllthree@yahoo.com Rating: 4 Stars The company does an excellent job of blending humor with dance. I know it sounds strange, but trust me - they make it work. Play: Anablep and Other Oddities Reviewer: Sam Jones Reviewer Email: sam.jones@vta.org Rating: 4 Stars Never saw a person dancing on one stilt and a ball at the same time before. Loved the orange wigs. I liked the etymological twist. Play: Anablep and other oddities Reviewer: James O Reviewer Email: J1019@earthlink.net Rating: 4 Stars An excellent menu of performances by a talented trio of dancers ranging from humorous interpretations to serious dance. One of the most entertaining performances of the day - I'm not really a dance afficionado, but each course of the meal is short enough to be filling, but keep you wanting more. Play: Anablep and other oddities Reviewer: Dick Karp Reviewer Email: dick@catapult.com Rating: 2 Stars Modern dance, performed as a number of unconnected short pieces, seemingly a la Isadora Duncan, except Duncan died long ago and so should this style. Capable performers, but I couldn't understand what was happening on stage most of the time. Mercifully short. Play: Anablep and Other Oddities Reviewer: John Sulak Reviewer Email: sulak@mindspring.com Rating: 5 Stars The performers in "Monkey House" are great! They're from Boston and performed at last year's SF Fringe Fest. They're back with a new show that is different every night (the audience gets to help pick out what they do.) Their name is (I think) from a Kurt Vonnegut story, and their shows have a very Vonnegut-esque sense of humor. They're dancers, but in "Anablep" they dance not just to music but sounds, Firesign Theatre-like vocal collages, and satirical narration. The very original costumes, props and movements they use all help them tell stories that I don't want to attempt to describe in words - it is best experienced in person where it can reach the subconscious as well as the rational mind. Some of it seems to be purely abstract and done for the pure beauty of the abstraction, but it can also be very emotional. It's different from a lot of other Fringe plays in that it is non-linear and doesn't have an obvious plot or punch-lines. It'll proabably mean something different to! you than it does to me, so go see "Anablep" and find out for yourself what that is! Play: ANABLEP AND OTHER ODDITIES Reviewer: Darryl Henry Reviewer Email: Rating: 4 Stars Entertaining dance performance where the audience helps select from the menu. Meaning, if you enjoy it the first time, you can see it again. The three women enjoy what they do. Part of the attire in one of the numbers had me thinking, "aha, they must be trying to keep those Mel Gibson aliens from reading their brain waves!"
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