		Visiting Bertha
		2006 SAN FRANCISCO FRINGE FESTIVAL AUDIENCE REVIEWS
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CLICK HERE FOR RECENT REVIEWS IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER CLICK ON PLAY FOR AUDIENCE REVIEWS FOR THAT PLAY @six 21/One Another Ugly Duckling Tale BabyLove Before the End A Boy Called Noise cruel & unusual Curriculum Vitae Eating Skeletons Exiles Fall and Rise of the Rising Fallen Flamenco con Fusion Fuse Get It? Got it. Good! Get Laughs or Die Tryin' Irma at the Movies & Frozen Just For Laughs Kingdom of Not Neon Man and Me nEO sURREALIST sYSTEMS Pomp & Circumstance Readiness is All Revolving Madness sally: MIA / Sheepish Secret Ruths of Island House Sisyphus on Vacation Stone Trilogy, Three Tales Thanatics - A Rock Opera This Lily Was (Fontana) Thrilling Adventures of Elvis in Space Tilting at Transformations Visiting Bertha Waiting for Bordeaux Where the Sun Don't Shine Woof, Daddy Yellow Fever Express Yorick & Co.		Play: Visiting Bertha Reviewer: Chris Belsky 5 Stars Wow. What an incredible experience. The play is based on Tennessee Williams' minor characters, and the production is certainly worthy of its association with the great Southern playwright. The language is poetic, yet natural and the direction gives the peice a beautifully subtle grace. The entire cast great, but Maggie Grant stands out, gives a riveting and haunting performance as the title character, Bertha. It is a treat to see her reveal different facets of her character as her various suitors enter her room. I truly hope that this play finds a way to continue to run beyond the fringe, as it deserves to be seen by a wider audience. Play: Visiting Bertha Reviewer: Williams Fan 5 Stars Wow. Great play. Sad, funny, well-written. I didn't know the Fringe put on plays like this. There was nothing wacky or weird about it. It was just a great play from top to bottom. Acting, writing were both perfect. I'd see it again if I could. Play: Visiting Bertha Reviewer: Deepak Patankar 5 Stars Excellent! absolutely loved the script and the acting! wish it could have been longer Play: Visiting Bertha Reviewer: FringeBenefit 5 Stars "Fugitive Kind", Tennessee Williams second ever full length play, was never given a proper staging until Lee Sankowich unearthed it from the archives and mounted it at both Marin Theatre Co. and Center Rep. awhile back. If you didn't catch it then - not to worry!! Joe Besecker's "Visiting Bertha" pays homage to that Williams' piece, but is a more balanced, pertinent and succinct little gem. It totally holds its own as a very poignant piece. Besecker captures both Williams' language and the essence and deprivation of the time. Bertha has all the strength and frailty you would expect of a Williams woman. But Besecker takes up where the novice Tennessee sadly left off, giving dimension to Bertha's character and further evolving themes of loss, futility, purity, resignation and hope through her compromised relationships with a few of the other secondary characters from "Fugitive Kind". Besecker clearly saw something more interesting in what was going on in the 1930's Tin Pan Alley world outside the action of "Fugitive Kind", and takes us there with “Visiting Bertha”. It has made for a very touching and often funny play. Maggie Grant, Jake Limbert, Lee Corbett, and Matt Socha all avail themselves beautifully. The piece is also well directed and staged by Janet O'Hair. Don't miss it!! Play: Visiting Bertha Reviewer: MB 5 Stars Great Play - Very professional for a Fringe production. Loved the script, the actors, and the staging. Highly recommended. Don't miss this one at the Fringe this year. Play: Visiting Bertha Reviewer: DG 5 Stars If you are a Tennesee Williams fan, then this play is a must see - and if you aren't, you will still find plenty to like in this lively production, excellently acted across the board. Besecker took a minor character from an early Wms. play and imagines an entire one act based upon the scanty info given in the original. He captures the sad/funny style expertly. Play: Visiting Bertha Reviewer: Christopher Lull 5 Stars This is one of the finest hours of theater I've ever seen. Joe Besecker's knock-out script captures the intensity and spirit of a young Tennessee Williams. His powerful words spark and pop under Janet O'Hair's fine direction. Maggie Grant delivers an unforgettable performance as Bertha with exceptional work from Limbert, Corbett, and Socha. If you only see one fringe play this year, make sure it's _Visiting Bertha_. Play: Visiting Bertha Reviewer: Diana Orgain 5 Stars Visting Bertha is well worth your time. The script is so well put together you'll wonder where the hour went. I wanted more when the play was over. All the actors were sensation and the direction was excellent. Overall though it's the script you'll remember. I've seen and ready many of Joe Besecker's plays - this is one of my favorites. He did it again! Visiting Bertha is the BEST fringe production I've seen to date! Play: Visiting Bertha Reviewer: RC Staab 5 Stars If you're looking for one of the best performances at the Fringe, see Maggie Grant as Bertha in "Visiting Bertha". Simple, elegant, excellent direction, beautiful language. No flying Elvises. You won't be disappointed.