An Intimate Evening with Fotis: Part Two

Mike sits in a chair and tells stories. Seriously. That's all he does. You seem skeptical. Trust him. It works and it's funny. Unless you need your performers to stand. Is that what you need? Do you NEED that?

Reviews!

Pioneer Press-MUST SEE!

Mike Fotis is funny. Funnier than the parodies with large, flashy casts I saw on opening night. OK, he doesn'€™t have fancy props; just a woman plucking a bass and a three-ring binder sitting on a table that he flips through. It sounds boring, but the stories he reads —nay, lives — from those pages are hilarious. He doesn't need his cohorts from Brave New Workshop to make self-deprecating fun of how Tom Petty torpedoed his budding romance. I never knew picking a schoolyard fight, ridding a house of bats or blogging for retribution could be so entertaining.

Renee Valois

City Pages-

Sit-down comic Mike Fotis (literally, he sits in a chair at a table and reads from a notebook, albeit disarmingly) hit his stride about five minutes into his series of comic monologues on opening night, and combined a storyteller'€™s cadence with sharp, self-deprecating observational humor. With Jen Scott providing groovy backup on stand-up bass (at least she stands), Fotis tackles many of the pressing issues of the day: his intense self-loathing while playing video games, his teenage musk of "death and sexual desperation,"€ his first (entirely unjustified) fight, his galaxies-wide fandom for Tom Petty, and his multiple run-ins with bats (squeakers, not sluggers). He also achieves a very high laughs-per-minute ratio. Sat 2:30 p.m. Minneapolis Theater Garage. Quinton Skinner

Strib-

Go ahead and object to Mike Fotis if you want: He sits at a table and reads from a script. You’ll have a lot more fun, though, if you let yourself enjoy his writing and acting. He spins stories about regular stuff , junior high, or the bats in his house while never forgetting to mock himself at every turn. He’s very funny. - Eric Ringham

Showtimes

Thu., Jul. 31 @ 7:00 p.m.
Sat., Aug. 2 @ 2:30 p.m.
Sun., Aug. 3 @ 8:30 p.m.
Tue., Aug. 5 @ 10:00 p.m.
Sat., Aug. 9 @ 2:30 p.m.

Show details

Venue: Minneapolis Theatre Garage

Duration: 60 minutes

For ages 15+

Written by Mike Fotis

Website: http://www.mikefotis.com

Genres: Solo, Spoken Word, Comedy

Warnings: Adult language

Overall rating

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User reviews

I finally got a chance to see this guy
by Kristi Lawless Follow this reviewer
Rating 4 kitties
He is funny and does a wonderful job putting you in his shoes. He conjours up images like a magician.

Nice Stories
by James Kosluchar Follow this reviewer
Rating 3 kitties
Funny performance, I give a kitty bonus for the bassist. Kindof felt like a lecture though.

Oh just go see it already...
by David Lee Follow this reviewer
Rating 4 kitties
It's really good. The way he crafts and colors his stories is really excellent.

This dude is funny!
by Erin McCullough Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
We had heard about Fotis from last year's Fringe but didn't have the opportunity to see him until this year. His stories are incredibly funny and his delivery makes the show a must see for the Fringe! Get out there and see him!

"I'm NOT putting a bat in my freezer."
by Dave Romm Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
Mike Fotis is expressive, self-deprecating and willing to dish. He sits there, reads from a three-ring binder, with a bass in the background, and spins his life into hilarious stories. Funnier than Part I and I can hardly wait for Part III. A Shockwave Radio Theater Review.

Longer reviews with pictures at Baron Dave's LiveJournal.

Fotis Scores Again!
by allan veldey Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
This is the funniest show I've seen at this year's Fringe. I laughed till my sides hurt. The storys are witty, literate and pumped full of the author's quirky humor. Pay attention or you'll miss some of the best lines!

Hi-larious with a side of Bass
by Jasmine Rush Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
Comedic genius with out even trying. Fotis serves up great material, dusting off the reels of memories to play for the audience while sharing feelings and thoughts of truth. The audience laughs with him, at him, and at ourselves. Great bass playin to compliment the work.

If you're looking for some flashback fun? Don't miss an Intimate Night with Fotis!

Even greater material than usual!
by Florence Brammer Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
The best Fotis material yet. Introspective and self-deprecating without losing that Fotis edginess. So much fun. I haven't laughed out loud this much for a long time.

The Real Deal
by Michelle Storm Follow this reviewer
Rating 4 kitties
A talented and truthful storyteller. Hard to reconcile the skinny geek of the story to the confident, imagery wiz of a performer we witnessed. I sat near the bass and was a little distracted at first, but it blended in after a while, could maybe just be a little softer, but did play to the rhythms of the story well. The stories and simplicity are classic.

See it now
by Kris Man About Fringe Follow this reviewer
Rating 4 kitties
Haven't laughed this hard in years. Wonderful set up and delivery with his stories. I didn't see part one and would love to see both shows combined at some time.

five creepy kitties
by BN DR Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
Mike Fotis, Jen Scott, hooray!

Fotissimo!
by Ben Thietje Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
Yeah, yeah. I know it's a stretch. But it is true that I never had trouble hearing him...

hardy har har
by Mo Perry Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
This was pure fun. The stories, the bass, the pacing, the way Fotis would occasionally make even himself laugh, the packed house...it all added up to a fabulous show. I laughed with abandon. Bravo!

Hilarious
by Richard Heise Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
What can I say that hasn't already been said. You'll laugh until you hurt.

easy laughs
by Kelly Brogan Follow this reviewer
Rating 4 kitties
This is a no-frills, easy way to spend an evening, especially if you're experiencing fringe-burnout. Show up, laugh. Go home. Done and done.

Classic Fotis.
by Susan Roberts Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
Loved the show...but then I'm a fan of his work. It's an engaging show - you'll be on the look out for bats and a mention in his blog. Another hit!

Funny, funny, funny
by August Berkshire Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
I guess I'm piling on, though in a good way, when I say this is one of the best shows in the Fringe. Sure, it's basically a guy sitting at a table reading a script. But when the basics are this good you don't care about anything else. The background music was distracting at first, but I could hear everything Matt said, and the music eventually had a neutral effect, neither adding nor distracting from the play. Don't get me wrong: I liked the music; I'm just not sure how well it went with the reading.

Full disclosure
by Lara Brown Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
Mike Fotis is funny. Really funny. The kind of funny that you snort from laughing so hard and then are embarrassed because you just snorted from laughing so hard. He's also sharp, smart and a great storyteller. You will enjoy the 50 minutes you get with him. For real yo.

What I learned from this show
(turns out the show is entertaining AND educational - who knew?) is that maybe that time I was drunk at a Fringe fundraiser and hit on him, he didn't even know. And that's good for my ego. Thanks Mike Fotis!

Brings the Funny
by Kale Ganann Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
If watching someone not just read a story but flat out attack it is your idea of a good time, then rush to see 'An Intimate Evening with Fotis'.

Mike Fotis, sitting at a card table with a three-ring binder of stories to read from, leans across the table in anticipation as he ruthlessly skewers stories from his life, parading his humiliations in front of the audience with a exhibitionist's glee.

There are moments when you'll be laughing so hard you can barely hear the next joke. See this play!

My Face Still Hurts from Laughing
by Julie Blaha Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
Fotis' comedy has impeccable timing, great energy, and depth without pretense. This show is even better than last year's.

Genius.
by ari ofsevit Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
Some people memorise their material. This guy reads it from a three-ring binder. Although considering how he weaves through the prose he's written, which seems rather complex, he probably has it mostly committed to memory anyway.

Fotis's stories range from his fear of bats to his experiences of romance. It all comes off with a comic wit which leaves the audiences roaring with laughter. It is not an act (is it an act? or a reading?) you'll want to miss.

Superlative storyteller
by Sid Korpi Follow this reviewer
Rating 4 kitties
Mike Fotis' show was a laugh-a-minute, especially when you could fit it in between the high-speed-gotta-stay-within-my-time-limit pace of speech. He should have either had more time or trimmed a shorter story so he wouldn't have to speed read to us. It was kind of like being at the Evelyn Wood School of Comedy. But even that couldn't detract from the fabulous content and timing. I'd go to see him again...next year, and the year after that, and the year after that...

"I'm all talk..."
by Bill Stiteler Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
Mr. Fotis says he's all talk, and while he's referring to his relationship with women, it serves him well in this how where he delivers rapid-fire, hilarious monologues. Backed up by an expressive Bass accompanist, this is the local show you don't want to miss.

Better than Part One
by Nick Decker Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
Mike Fotis's honesty is the heart of this show; his biggest laughs are born from his humiliation and willingness to let us in on his flaws. Jen Scott's bass accompaniment highlights the awkwardness and embarrassment he humorously describes. He's like Spalding Gray, only relevant and not dead.

Exactly what I expected from Mike Fotis.
by Erica Mauter Follow this reviewer
Rating 4 kitties
Which was fantastic. If you've ever seen the guy perform anywhere else it's just like that. He's self-deprecating. He's a little bit manic. He's... I don't know, he's just Fotis. The icing on the cake for me: The last story is all about blogging, which I, as a blogger, loved.

Give this guy a six
by roseroberta pauling Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
Fotis was one of my gut level must sees before any reviews were in and boy was I right, along with a lot of others in the audience. Though Fotis lives in a different dimension from the one I do, still I could really relate and laughed my head off. He's just so human and down to earth talking to us from the places where we all are out of sync with our best face, and need to laugh at ourselves more. He was hilarious and his audience loved it. If you are looking for a real serious piece of drama or political satire, this ain't it, but if you want to laugh and laugh at how foolish we all are and come out liking someone anyhow.....this gotta be the place! And, his base player is a dear heart, and stays in tune with the stories throughout.

Fotis synthesis
by Fringivitis Vulgaris Follow this reviewer
Rating 3 kitties
He knows his limitations. Best part is, he's willing to detail them for strangers. Going nuts over a video game or going loco over bats in the house, he's ready to share. Some nice turns of phrase, if not the laureate that some proclaim him.

go see this show
by julie fossell Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
You need to see this show. It is funny and you will find yourself relating to Mike and his trials--I feel maybe I could look at my life with a little more humor after hearing his perspective!

A must see
by Renee Ladd Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
So, so funny. I could relate to so much of this material and it just made me laugh.

A must see
by Kevin McLaughlin Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
Mike Fotis is always a sheer delight! Plus, Fotis:2 features the added pleasure of Jen Scott on upright bass. Do not miss this show... the writing is brilliant— it's sit-down comedy at its best!

A Must See!
by Red Hot Fan Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
Saw the show on opening night and Fotis blew the roof off the joint!
He was on FIRE!!!
The stories and performance were awesome....go see this show.

Must. See.
by Theo Langason Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
This show was so much fun. Mike Fotis spins yarn like nobody's business. This show really is a must see. Not only is this show ball bustingly funny, but it also super groovy with Jen Scott setting the perfect atmosphere with her tasty bass licks.

I was in a funk.
by Sherry Larson Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
I wasn't sure if I was going to the Fringe this year.Then I got the day off due to Nine Inch Nails canceling. I remembered Fotis from last year and decided to head down to Minneapolis Garage Theatre. He is an incredible storyteller and see the world much in the same way as I do. Thanks Fotis for getting me out of my funk and putting me in the Fringe spirit.

Divine comedy
by Dennis Curley Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
Nice work again, Mike Fotis! It's hilarious storytelling with soulful bass accompaniment (by Jen Scott). What more do you need??

Don't pass this up...
by Jeffrey McCants Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
Never would I have thought that a guy sitting down at a desk and reading from a binder would be so hilarious. Fotis has something pretty awesome here as he rattles off gut busting stories about his life. From video games to bats that infest his house, this guy is wickedly funny and just doesn't stop. One of the best shows I've seen so far!

Mike Fotis is a Must-See
by Clarence Wethern Follow this reviewer
Rating 4 kitties
Mike is one of the funniest and msot likeable performers in the Twin Cities, and this show is some of his best solo material. Mike's stories are filled with verbal wit, charming, self-effacing humor, and an astute satirical eye. Beneath the sometimes-goofy, sometimes-sardonic stories about the consequences of video game addiction and the unexpected trials of homeownership, lie real poignance and sensitivity. This is bound to be one of the more rewarding things you'll see this Fringe. And hooray for Jen Scott on bass!

Damn this guy is funny as hell!!!
by David McKay Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
Lots of fringers already know his name, but he is one of the funniest guys at fringe. He tells funny stories about the social justice of blogging, and hurting yourself playing video games. This guy sounds like he is talking about my life, but way more funny than I remember it.

Swimming to Cambiapolis.
by Derek Henderson Follow this reviewer
Rating 4 kitties
Mike Fotis is the Spalding Gray of MPLS, only less pot-addled and more juvenile. Equally funny. Hopefully Mike won't wind up floating in the Mississippi, but if he does we can expect BNW to do a parody show of his life.

& the bass is a nice touch.

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