Strawberry Fields Temporarily
presented by Leaky Pen, Inc.
Showtimes
Fri., Aug. 1 @ 5:30 p.m.
Sun., Aug. 3 @ 7:00 p.m.
Wed., Aug. 6 @ 10:00 p.m.
Fri., Aug. 8 @ 7:00 p.m.
Sun., Aug. 10 @ 1:00 p.m.
Show details
Venue: Interact Center for the Visual and Performing Arts
Duration: 60 minutes
For ages 13+
Created by Ben Sandell
Website: myspace.com/bensandel
Genres: Solo, Spoken Word, Comedy
Warnings: Adult language
Overall rating
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User reviews
Strawberry Fields Temporarily
by Karen Taulelle Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
Ben received his first standing ovation this afternoon, his last show, and he thoroughly deserved it! Ben tells a story about his first time doing stand-up comedy in front of an audience. I was lucky to be in that audience to see this very funny, poignant and original artist begin and I've since been lucky to see Ben many times since, culminating in what was a spot-on hilarious and endearing storytelling performance today. Ben only gets better and once you've seen him, you'll want to stick around to see how it's all turning out. And stand up and give him a cheer.
Wise Soul
by Chris Friedlieb Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
Oh how I wish he had a CD of his show to send my daughter who has a crap first job right now... He read from his journal and had us rolling on the floor!
Kitties for stand-up comics
by ess bea Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
There's something about this guy. I've seen him perform before ("Mittens for Fat Kids" and various short bits at a certain late-night cabaret), and he always somehow shatters my expectations of "stand-up comedy" and makes me feel extremely...benevolent. I have a very staunch (possibly unfair) bias against stand-up comics and most things they usually stand for. Honestly, my personal taste finds what I know about the genre abrasive, obnoxious and almost overwhelmingly unfunny with few exceptions. But this guy...this guy seems to be really carving out his own niche and using the medium of stand-up to get some really great things done. I love seeing him use the model of his heroes (he named off a bunch of guys I can't stand), studying their work and making it his own, to show us a really disarming revelation of a guy with a life who does stuff and has hilarious and embarrassing exploits just like all of us. His storytelling is utterly charming, and his stand-up bits, while genuinely hilarious, are so very real that, even though you don't know him, you just feel proud of him for standing up and speaking his piece.
a rising star
by Fringivitis Vulgaris Follow this reviewer
Rating 4 kitties
This guy has a ton of potential! The stories are good and the depiction of adolescent awkwardness is genuine. His characters are nicely quirky. If only the script in hand and on the floor wasn't there, this would be 5 kitties.
Shy Boy Stories
by allan veldey Follow this reviewer
Rating 4 kitties
the shy boy stories were well written and funny. Ben captured that teenage to twenty-somthing angst remarkably well.
Very Funny
by Red Hot Fan Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
This was a fun show, well written and full of laughs. Ben's comedic style is very relaxed and easy, which makes it a nice change of pace from some of the other shows at the Fringe. I enjoyed every story and glad that I was able to get into this packed theater. Go see this show.
The Real Deal
by Becky Palmer Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
Ben is a gifted storyteller and a talented wordsmith. The best part of his show was the honesty and tenderness of his stories- I laughed because his stories were so real. Not slick, not studied, just real. This is a show where you hope there will be time for just one more story.
Storytelling? Or Reading?
by Malia Burkhart Follow this reviewer
Rating 4 kitties
I was not disappointed by all the rave reviews posted by other audience members-- the stories Ben tells are well-crafted, funny, and throughout it I appreciated his understated demeanor-- seeing pieces of that "shy boy" that has pushed himself onstage... So first off, Ben, bravo for that. & Bravo for creating an act that's well on its way. My one comment is that the first story was WAY better than the second two: because you were not tied to reading from a paper. (Hint: even a music stand would be less distracting & free up your hands) If, for your next show, you can lose the script & spend more time with your energy on us, the audience, I'll give you that extra kitty.
Five kitties for three stories
by Angela Johnson Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
Loved the bitersweet stories. Would have listened to him all night. Some people just know how to tell I story - I dont! - but Ben Sandell does.
Story telling done right.
by Jucy Lucy Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
I really enjoyed this show. I'm not much for storytelling because I have a horribly short attention span, but Ben kept me engaged the whole way through.
"Sometimes comfort is a trap"
by Dave Romm Follow this reviewer
Rating 4 kitties
Ben Sandell is a better writer than performer but the autobiographical stories are poignant and funny. Three and a half kitties rounded up for sustaining a monolog for a full hour. A Shockwave Radio Theater Review.
Longer reviews with pictures at Baron Dave's LiveJournal.
Like a Less Corny Little Miss Sunshine
by J. Willmar Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
Itâs hard to explain the feeling I got from Benâs show, but it was closest to how I felt while watching âLittle Miss Sunshine.â The stories are in turn sweet, painful, thought-provoking, and almost always funny. And in the end, uplifting. A pleasant way to spend an hour.
The best of both worlds
by Laura Thorne Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
Although "Strawberry Fields Temporarily" is listed in the storytelling genre, Ben San Del delivers so many surprising punchlines, that it can easily be performed as a stand up comedy act. Ben is a polished comedian and builds his stories with great writing, self-deprecating humor, and tremendous likability.
Ben is reminiscent of David Sedaris in the crazy stories he creates out of seemingly ordinary characters. He also has a likeness to Woody Allen, in his neurotic behavior and exhaustive worrying.
If this is your first fringe show, or your 300th, I highly recommend "Strawberry Fields Temporarily." Ben doesn't try to be funny or nutty or unconventional, he just is. This is what makes him so endearing.
Oh, the Saga of Crookston
by Kay Kirscht Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
Man, you'd tell me bits about Crookston before - the beet fields under snow, working for a tiny paper...but you REALLY fleshed out the story last night. Really a rewarding show, Ben - congratulations. I'm glad you decided to hunker down and finish that show...
And, yes, I would be moved to rapid and uncharacteristic action if "Mr. Republican" *ever* tried to beat you up.
(er...I love Howard, too, and his penchant for putting on incredibly slimy characters, *ad lib* - so don't worry).
Ditch the Zubas
by Elizabeth Myhre Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
Ben was charming, honest and engaging; comfortable in presence and delivery.
His three stories all had points where the audience could relate, laugh and remember the feelings of excietment and dissapointment in our lives.
Better than Batman
by Laurie Swenson Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
Ben's stories are funny yet poignant. They bring wisdom without ever sacrificing wit. Batman couldn't do it nearly as well.
Entertaining
by Jim Steffel Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
Ben's show is made up of three stories. Each are focused on specific moments in his life where he discovered something about himself. They are very well told and entertaining; the story about his first experience with stand-up comedy is the one I enjoyed the most.
Excellent Show
by Matt Sandell Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
Ben is a wonderful story teller. His show is full of humor and emotion; the Crookston story alone is worth the price of admission.
