Minnesota Fringe Festival

schedule

Show reviews by Erika Klein

Phi Alpha Gamma
Intense and thoughtful by Erika Klein
Rating: 5 kitties
A thoughtful examination of homophobia, community, and brotherhood. Bernitt gives an amazing performance and successfully portrays multiple characters in this intense drama.

Love Me Or Die!
One of my favorite shows at the Fringe.. by Erika Klein
Rating: 5 kitties
Sure, the book is a little muddled, but the actors are so talented, the dialogue so hilarious, and the music so genuinely catchy, that "Love Me or Die!" made my "best of the Fringe" list.

The Gayer Show
Completely engaging by Erika Klein
Rating: 5 kitties
Dan and Les delivered as promised--I laughed and cried. I loved the juxtaposition between Dan's and Les' stories and thought the intergenerational themes were delivered very thoughtfully. The conclusion seemed a little hasty, but otherwise, this was one of my favorite shows at this year's Fringe.

casebolt and smith: Speaking Out!
Best of the Fringe by Erika Klein
Rating: 5 kitties
This show has everything--comedy, drama, music, dance. It will also make you think. As a modern dance newbie, I was impressed with not only the physicality of the dance movement, but also the way casebolt and smith work seamlessly together and deliver comedy that is not only funny, but touching.

Projectile Thinking
CRAZY good time by Erika Klein
Rating: 5 kitties
This show is wildly original and a lot of fun. Don't let the "audience participation" scare you--the show uses the uniqueness of the school to great effect. The cast are all uniformly talented. Probably the most fun I've had at this year's Fringe.

The Bee-Lievers
Groovy by Erika Klein
Rating: 5 kitties
If you have affection for camp or for 1970s B-movies, you will enjoy this show. The story is oddball, but offers a sly send-up of religion in the process. The director and cast do wonders with minimal props and scenery and the cavernous stages at the Ritz.

Cigarettes for Jesus
Thoughtful and clever by Erika Klein
Rating: 4 kitties
The description might sound a little snarky, but this show is very genuinely very pro-religion, while simultaneously making fun of it. The writing is very clever and the cast does a great job.

Slow Jobs: Servicing America for $12 an Hour
A fun evening by Erika Klein
Rating: 4 kitties
I feel like this material is pretty well-worn and the themes were hastily thrown together towards the end, but nevertheless, Curt and Laura are so engaging and funny, I couldn't help but enjoy myself.

Axed! (The Rockstars' Remix)
Three very engaging storytellers by Erika Klein
Rating: 4 kitties
The most apt description of "Axed!" I've read is that it's a real-life "This American Life". Reppe, Mondy, and McLean (and DJ King Otto!) are all incredibly gifted and entertaining and present an engaging hour.

2 Sugars, Room for Cream
slice of life by Erika Klein
Rating: 4 kitties
This show seems a little oversold as an outright comedy, when it is a lighter series of vignettes that deliver both laughs and drama. Poole and Wexler are both brilliant playing a variety of characters and in writing the series of sketches pointing out the humor in everyday mundanities.

The Return of LICK!
too sexy by Erika Klein
Rating: 4 kitties
It's kind of silly, but the guys of LICK! are so earnest and convinced of their sexiness that they deliver a laugh with every pelvic thrust.

In Another's Size
Perfect for families and young Fringers by Erika Klein
Rating: 4 kitties
This is a snappy, funny, and fast-paced comedy written and starring the talented teens of SteppingStone Theatre. This is a perfect show for younger audiences and their parents.

You're Naked, You're Crazy, And We're All Gonna Die
Had me literally on the edge of my seat by Erika Klein
Rating: 4 kitties
I went into this show knowing almost nothing about it and came out completely satisfied and entertained. de Cordova mixes humor, sound and light effects, and innate likeability to present a genuinely suspenseful tale.

You /Provoke /Me
accessible to modern dance-newbies by Erika Klein
Rating: 4 kitties
Like most reviewers, I had no knowledge or insight into modern dance going into YPM, but came out incredibly impressed and moved by what I saw. Though I can't explain the dances I saw, I do know it was beautiful to watch the dances move and interact. If anything, YPM also led me to looking up "modern dance" on Wikipedia after I saw it.

Something Witchy
a tight one-act by Erika Klein
Rating: 4 kitties
While nothing revelatory or mind-blowing, "Something Witchy" is tight, suspenseful, one-act with some insanely awesome acting. It's torn between thinking the story was tied up perfectly within an hour and thinking I would totally read something novel-length with the same plot.

The Finkles' Theater Show
Had a great time! by Erika Klein
Rating: 4 kitties
The premise is stretched a little thin over the hour, but "The Finkles" is so well-performed and clever, that you almost don't notice. The actors have spot-on comedic timing and chemistry.

Monster
see it for Kehoe's genius by Erika Klein
Rating: 4 kitties
Christopher Kehoe delivers an electrifying performance in this tight one act. The story is a little confusing, but seriously intriguing.

Best Friends, Starring Mike
Eh... by Erika Klein
Rating: 3 kitties
Seeing someone get kicked in the crotch is almost never *not* funny, but even with multiple kicks, many parts seemed to drag (hello, road cone...). I like the concept and most of the music interludes, but the guys seemed a little ill-at-ease and the humor a little forced.

WORD
A promising work-in-progress by Erika Klein
Rating: 3 kitties
WORD is a little rough, but I definitely saw some glimpses of greatness. The stage came alive during the dance floor scenes and when the music was more hip-hop/rap influenced. PLEASE turn down the backing music--it was impossible to hear some of the kids at times. The breakdancing was SICK!

Tales ... Of the Expected!
A little schtick goes a long way by Erika Klein
Rating: 3 kitties
The first tale had me genuinely laughing out loud, but each tale diminished in quality and laughs as the show progressed. Extra point for the brilliantly talented cast.

Livelihood
Kinda tiresome by Erika Klein
Rating: 2 kitties
The acting was funny and high-energy, but the plot is essentially one joke with some slight social satire dropped in at the end.