CLICK HERE FOR RECENT AUDIENCE REVIEWS CLICK ON PLAY FOR REVIEWS OF THAT PLAY
1 Quandary Place
Abundance
ADVENTURES OF A SUBSTITUTE TEACHER
Barroom Philosophers
Border Crossings
Class Notes
Embarrassment & Death
The Falls of Vincent Millay
Found and Lost: Goals for 2002
Frisco Fred's Cabaret!
Fuck You Cancer
Great Hymn of Thanksgiving / Conversation
Storm
The Hasheesh Eater
Heavy Metal Playground
HER KIND: The Life & Poetry of Anne
Sexton
i hate my friends
Jesus Rant
Kiss My Booth
Korean Badass
Low Hanging Fruit
Monkey Poet Stand-Up!
Organic Boxed Chicken Stock
parts is parts:
Party of One
RM3
The Sewers
Shopping as a Spiritual Path
Spotless
Stetson Manifesto
A Strange Black Passion
Super Glossy!
TeleMongol
Terrible Voice
Tesla's White Pigeon
Turn of the Screw
You Go First
Play: The Sewers
Reviewer: Lena & Chris
5 Stars
Magnificently surreal, a bad dream from which I didn’t want to awaken,
very advanced conceptually, visually stunning, great music, brilliant script…
Masterful in every way. One of our 2 favorites this year.
Play: Stetson Manifesto
Reviewer: Ken Wakamatsu
4 Stars
Strong dialogue and strong acting make for a great play. A little difficult
to understand in the beginning, because I have little knowledge of cowboy
terminology and cultural references such as the music, but the play gains
strength as the characters develop. The act with all 3 actors on stage are
the best, with tense but humorous dialogue that had the audience laughing.
Definitely recommend catching the last show.
Play: Stetson Manifesto
Reviewer: m1ngle
5 Stars
This play is extremely well-done. The writing is very tight and well-paced.
I honestly didn't know what to expect going in and was all but blown away.
The central character embodies his role in a way that is seldom seen these
days outside of professional theatre companies. You could truly feel his
frustration and alienation stuck in a world into which he cannot survive,
yet determined not to give in.
The two supporting actors also give outstanding performances. Faith Aeryn as Billie Joe embodies corporate arrogance and it's complete lack of respect for tradition. She plays this to the hilt by trying to bend Catfish to her will and make him give up his free-spirited ways. Her performance was subtle and human and gave me chills in its true representation of corporate culture.
The actor playing Rory is caught in the middle of this fight, trying to appease both sides. He expertly shows the conflict between the corporarization of America and it's independent soul.
Play: Parts is Parts
Reviewer: Lena & Chris
5 Stars
Fascinating -- tender and visceral. The tableaux of knife-tossing, man-building,
heart-shaped-pie-gobbling and spirit-guzzling depicted by the two characters
were spellbinding, heartbreaking, and above all very enjoyable. Satisfying.
Play: & billions more
Reviewer: natalie karet
5 Stars
i laughed so hard i cried. it's that good
Play: Great Hymn of Thanksgiving /
Reviewer: Eryka Fraczek
5 Stars
Far and away the most sophisticated piece of cutting edge theatre I've seen
here or elsewhere. The musical score and improvised instrumentation speaks
volumes dramatically of life in a war zone. The following dialogue moves
in intermittent linear/nonlinear cadence to drive home multiple points of
reality. It's light years ahead.
Play: Party of One
Reviewer: Forest
5 Stars
I saw this show at the Minneapolis Fringe. You should see it too! Noel is
a very talented performer and the "conversations" with her luggage
are excellent.
Play: The Children's Museum
Reviewer: yawza
5 Stars
I found this to be a riveting and ultimately moving drama that kept me emotionally engaged from beginning to end. The kind of show where you don't check your watch to see how much time is left. Both actors were fantastic. I'd put this in my group of favorite shows and highly recommend seeing it.
Play: Heavy Metal Playground
Reviewer: RAGNOR
5 Stars
EASILY THE BEST STAGE PRODUCTION TO GRACE OUR CITY. THE STORY IS RAD AND
THE MUSIC IS RAW. DEATHBONE IS A STALLION.
Play: Kiss My Booth
Reviewer: Irene
5 Stars
Absolutely LOVED this powerful one woman show. Funny, insightful, and compelling
with a host of interesting characters. I was afforded a rare glimps into
a side of food I never really understood before.
Cons: You will CRAVE authentic, tasty italian food after seeing this show.
Play: Monkey Poet Stand Up!
Reviewer: Miz Rowdy
5 Stars
"Monkey Poet Stand Up!" is AWESOME!!! This performer needs all
the support he can get after having a trash can of bottles thrown at him
on stage (whoever did that needs to be shot). One of my favorite Fringe
shows I've seen, his poetry his witty, raw, touching, and insightful. Got
to love a guy who drinks on stage, he makes you feel like you're hanging
out with him in some pub in England. Cheers!
Play: Spotless
Reviewer: Rob Hawke
5 Stars
A terrific and deft performance. Emotionally grounded and layered. I was
so impressed by both the acting and directing in this funny and moving piece.
Bravo!
Play: The Children's Museum
Reviewer: Rob Hawke
5 Stars
This is one impressive show that packs a real emotional punch. The team
of actors really know their stuff and support each other in a piece that
at times is light hearted and innocent and at others is heartbreaking. Intelligent
and seamless direction. Great ensemble work.
Play: Found and Lost
Reviewer: John
5 Stars
Wow. I was absolutely floored and enthralled through-out this beautiful
performance. A celebration of body language, as expressed through dance
and ASL, playing off of the themes of lost items & lists of aspirations.
It's an amazing celebration of the fleeting and the hopeful. Look no further
for 'Best of the Fringe'.
Play: I hate my friends
Reviewer: lyncoln
4 Stars
Good show. Love the setting. Very original. The Hotel Bijou is a good choice.
From the hotel room then to the conference room. We saw the last and 5th
show of the day, all the cast looked exhausted. The dog shows it. The dummy
was the only one in top form.
Play: Spotless
Reviewer: Craig Kensek
4 Stars
Spotless (4.5 stars)
2007 seems to be the year of solo products. The actress plays multiple characters in this production, morphing from one to another pretty seamlessly. The energy level isn’t quite as high as “Super Glossy”. Still, it was highly entertaining. See this on a night that you’re not seeing another “single performer” piece. “Ernie” is great! Ernie may be channeling a thin Joe Pesci!
Play: Found & Lost: Goals for 2002
Reviewer: Craig Kensek
5 Stars
You’ll Have Found a Winner If You Attend
Great original dance performance! A nice change from solo pieces that are a large part of this year’s Fringe. The audience is “engaged” for part of the performance, but it doesn’t seem forced when this occurs and a dancer goes into the crowd. The energy is high. Keep scanning the whole stage (and the audience) during the production, or you may miss something. Each performer is a unique character. Not quite the girls next door (though you think, 'the neighborhood would be livelier') This isn’t a “cookie cutter” dance troupe, with everyone looking the same, within 1 inch of height and 15 ounces of one another. I would have liked the performance go on even longer.
Play: Stetson Manifesto
Reviewer: Diep
5 Stars
I was smiling and giggling from the first few lines. Very well-written,
natural dialogue, superb acting, especially from the Stetson man himself,
and a timeless and timely message.
Play: Stetson Manifesto
Reviewer: Tom
5 Stars
Great reflection on the absurdity of our times. The actor for Catfish did
a great job of reflecting the suffocation of tradition by political correctness,
litigation, and corporate climbing in the modern world. Very thought-provoking
and gotta love anything that includes "Mule Train" by Tennessee
Ernie Ford. Fun time!
Play: Found and Lost: Goals for 2002
Reviewer: Holly P
5 Stars
I've seen a fair share of dance shows and this ranks up there with the best.
Not necessarily in technique, but definitely for originality and the MUSIC!!
I find usually dance pieces have music that is so obscure and without beat
that I'm thinking - wait, how are they dancing to this? Not true with inFlux
- GREAT music. Also, I loved that each dancer represented a different breed
of woman AND, I hate to say this, but I'm so happy that we had some NORMAL
bodies up there. Dance shows usually involve moving sticks and it was nice
to see some thighs. The pieces were incredibly original (look out for the
KEYS!!) and gripping. And the mixture of ASL and spoken word was fascinating
too. They only have one show left, I think - don't miss out!
Play: The Children's Museum
Reviewer: Gary F
5 Stars
These Canadians know how to put on a show. And they're beautiful too. Superb
acting - really off the cuff. Need more like this here.
Play: Barroom Philosophers
Reviewer: margaret
5 Stars
Great job by all. Very convincing crazy guy "Derek" played by
Rich. Absolutely loved facial expressions by "Steven" played by
Justin---gave an impression of a sweet young man, "Paul" played
by Jason very powerful with his words. The gals were very good as well.
Overall---very tight performance. Right on cue, no lag time, kept me engrossed
at all times. Good balance of humour and drama. Hope they will be invited
back to Fringe Festival again.
Play: The Children's Museum
Reviewer: Holly P
4 Stars
This play showcases two of the best actresses in this Fringe. These women
both have such commanding stage presences and wonderful chemistry with each
other. So much that I was a little distracted trying to figure out if they
really WERE sisters and this was a true story. A genuinely scary and tear-inducing
drama, the story told here is intriguing, but a tad convoluted... however,
I'm an audience member that likes to leave with no end untied which isn't
always the best way to end a play. Minus a star for all the annoying blackouts
- there MUST be a better way to transition between time and space??
Play: Found & Lost: Goals for 2002
Reviewer: monkeymary
5 Stars
Beautiful! Great music and choreography. I'm not too partial to dance, but
I was moved by the performers. They flowed with the music; they were the
music. The energy was positive and strong. Weaving found objects and other
visual props with dance was creative and made for an accessible show for
all to enjoy. Not to be missed!
Play: Adventures of a Substitute Teacher
Reviewer: Holly P
2 Stars
I don't know what all the buzz is about with this show. I found the actor
to be lackluster and I could hardly hear him half the time. The story is
choppy and seems divided into two years of school - make it one year and
mold everything together. I had a few laugh-out-loud moments, hence two
stars.
Play: Border Crossings
Reviewer: monkeymary
4 Stars
Play: Super Glossy
Reviewer: Holly P
5 Stars
This show is definitely one of the most original at the Fringe this year
- Courtney McLean is a fast-shit-smack-talkin' performer that lights you
on fire! The concept of a "science fiction satire on women's magazines"
is something that raised my eyebrows, but she that's exactly what she delivers,
hilariously. Go see it if only for the awesomely scary ending.
Play: Stetson Manifesto
Reviewer: Holly P
3 Stars
Go see this play for the man that plays "Catfish." The show itself
has a great message and I'm all for putting "The Man" down (even
if the moral of the story is not in the People's favor), but I found the
play to be lacking in a true commitment to its premise. Although the actor
that played Catfish was most certainly extremely committed to his role and
that is always wonderful to watch. I wish I could say the same about the
other two actors
Play: The Children's Museum
Reviewer: Kristen
5 Stars
An incredible performance and an amazing script. Best show I've seen at
the fringe.
Play: Frisco Fred's Cabaret
Reviewer: Buzz Brooks
5 Stars
A breath of fresh air! Or, a breath of fresh SKILL, as it were. Take a break
from the usual crapshoot of: Is the play I'm about to see going to be a
manifestation of talent and skill, or not? You won't have to roll the dice
on this one. Sit down and let these seasoned entertainers who have been
honing their skills for years put a bright spot in your night/day. The puppeteer
alone is worth $4.97 of the 9 bucks you will spend on this gem.
Play: Fuck You Cancer
Reviewer: Mia Paschal
5 Stars
Only after "Shopping" ended, did I realize that I was going to
see two "cancer plays" back to back. I'm glad I did - talk about
mining humour from tragedy! "Fuck You Cancer" has a great concept,
a very funny script, and Robert Hawke has the energy, speed, and timing
of a middleweight boxing champion, - and he definitely packs a ferocious
punch. I really enjoyed his character work. I don't even have the words
to describe how hilarious his organ trio bit is - priceless. Definitely
worth seeing, even twice.
Play: "Shopping as a Spiritual Path"
Reviewer: Mia Paschal
5 Stars
Delightful, funny (often hilarious), deeply moving, and honest. This is
a very polished performance and script, and the performer's command of the
stage is as bold as her red dress. The hour flew by, and I could have easily
watched her for another hour - she is so spellbinding, and the show is vivid
and fast-paced, filled with trenchant observations about herself, surviving
cancer, and, yes, shopping! (Last night was her final performance at the
Fringe, but if you missed it, it's worth keeping an eye out for future performances
in the Bay Area or elsewhere. You can also buy a DVD of the performance
- worth checking out, in my opinion.)
Play: Terrible Voice
Reviewer: Hannah
4 Stars
One of the most original solo voices I've heard in a long while. Dona Budd
has a wonderful gift in her use of the English language. As an English speaker
myself I feel honored to have her representing me (even if she does do it
with a Southern twang). This is a wonderful show, appropriate for all ages,
especially anyone interested in great autobiographical writing.
Play: border crossings
Reviewer: tom
3 Stars
a sincere actor delivers a charming and heartfelt show, the first section
that happens in mexico is full of mystery and interpretation, movements,
awe, music, images of dancing figures and transformation. the show then
segue's without warning to the last twenty minutes about his breakup with
his ex girlfriend and his/her feelings and psychological workings to feel
okay about himself. i felt kind of wierd that we had left mexico without
explanation to never return, and were left with something more like a personal
journal entry than what had beckoned for the first part of the show. the
ending feels like its not there as we never get back to mexico and the show
is called border crossings...that said, i really like his acting and felt
the presentation was entertaining and expressive.
Play: tesla's white pigeon
Reviewer: tom
1 Star
three actors with suspenders and a pile of suitcases, disconnected text,
noise music that fades in and out, a short thirty something running time,
audience was 3/4ths full at exit mainstage and they seemed to be alternately
enthusiastic(hoots and hollers at the curtain) or dumbfounded. i heard more
than one post show conversation in the hallway that started with, 'what
was that?'
i think mugwumpin needs to abandon the anti-narrative method they claim to take from lecoq/naropa and deliver some theatre that justifies the residencies and support they have hoarded since they arrived years ago. i have been to several of their shows and the singular impression i am left with is one of insider arrogance and privilege.
Play: Kiss my Booth
Reviewer: T
4 Stars
This play is very funny, tender and deep in the same time.
Victoria give us an astonishing one hour performance, she plays wonderfully
several characters. She does successfully make you travel into her world.
It was a real pleasure too see this show and I do recommend it !
Play: Super Glossy
Reviewer: Sara K.
5 Stars
Brilliant stuff. I don't read Cosmopolitan myself, but seeing the magazine
covers at the supermarket is enough to make me laugh. Courtney McLean makes
me laugh three times as hard. I suppose I was the choir to this show's message,
but McLean is such an outrageously talented performer, and there are so
many sharp turns of phrase that this show is a theatrical feast - for example
"You're perfect the way you are, you fat cow!"
Play: Frisco Fred's Cabaret
Reviewer: Sara K.
5 Stars
Top-notch comedy! Brilliant performers who know their timing! Pure entertainment!
And more humanity than many a pretentious drama (whether Fringe or elsewhere).
I particularly loved the last part performed by Tony Sparks.
Play: Found and Lost
Reviewer: Andy
5 Stars
Remarkable. Technically precise (and sometimes frenetic) movement during
which theatrical expression was continuously maintained. This is pretty
rare stuff. Lighthearted, its subject matter the mundane but not at all
insipid--it's a thoughtful lightness, varied, amusing, moving, hypnotic.
Polyrhythmic--often many distinct, well-composed ongoing events at once.
And the sign language is magnificent, fully a part of the dance. Nothing
sloppy, plenty beautiful. Reduced to writing in fragments.
Play: Turn of the Screw
Reviewer: Kate
5+ Stars
Oh. my. god.
Not only is this the best show I've seen in the Fringe, it's possibly the best show I've seen in SF. The storytelling is so captivating, the use of space and light is so dynamic, the twisted torquing of the character lines is so complex. I love love love love love this show.
I cannot tell you enough how much this play excites me. Go see it. Get enraptured in the story, play along with the symbolism, and get creeped out by the experience. Sit on stage if you can so you can get completely enveloped in the story.
This is storytelling at its finest. It is a beautiful and demanding piece of theatre.
Play: 'Parts is Parts' performed by The Real Kim Harmon
Reviewer: Doug Wright
5 Stars
Forget everything you thought you knew about art!
Setting the stage with an elaborate yet simple use of live music, colors,
abrupt lighting, poignant dialog and tone, knives and pies, or whatever
algorithm thereof, The Real Kim Harmon creates a very endearing and forthright
piece.
Simply put, relationships can be hard. In 'Parts is Parts' the Real Kim
Harmon shows us the construction, destruction, reconstruction and basic
dissection of what life is all about and reminds us that we all play a 'part'
in it.
Play: Super Glossy!
Reviewer: Rick Burkhardt
5 Stars
This gets my highest rating for being by far the weirdest solo Fringe show
I've ever seen. It's also the funniest. Courtney's writing and acting are
way up there with the best of 'em, but it's the content itself that sets
this show miles apart -- it starts out so innocently, and ends WAY off the
scale. Imagine Lily Tomlin joining the Firesign Theatre and then pulling
off her mask, revealing that she's actually Roman Polanski. If that won't
persuade you to go see Super Glossy, I don't know what will.
Play: Party of One
Reviewer: beau smith
5 Stars
Party of One was awesome... It started out really slow and painful, I mean
who want's to see a clown cry? But after a few knee-slapping laughs, I got
the thought that Noel Williams had intended the saddness to be part of the
emotional roller coaster of the play. Noel's tangents into back stories
and Gone with the Wind in 1 minute was hysterical.
Play: The Sewers
Reviewer: beau smith
4 Stars
A dark drama that quickly became weird and interesting when the playwright
wrote himself into the play and discussed that he could continue to mystify
the crowd or change the plot at his whim... dark and funny, awesome set,
great sound effects, lighting and props.