schedule
Lane McKiernan
Food Shelf Follies
Fri., Jul. 31 @ 10:00 p.m.
Sat., Aug. 1 @ 5:30 p.m.
[A] Sun., Aug. 2 @ 1:00 p.m.
Thu., Aug. 6 @ 7:00 p.m.
Sun., Aug. 9 @ 5:30 p.m.
KEY:
[S]=ASL interpreted
[A]=Audio described
Venue Playwrights' Center
For ages 12+
Created by Lane McKiernan
genres Solo, Spoken word
subjects Queer/GLBT, Political
features World premiere, Regional (MSP) premiere, Original script/choreography
Overall rating
User reviews
Being hungry does things to you...
by AnnaMarie Ronning Follow this reviewer
Rating 4 kitties
Your productions really touched my heart. You are totally resilient and turned your hard times into a gift for me. You've got guts. Memorable. Thank you so very much. Very well done. PS I took 3 Rice Krispie Bars for my little kids...thanks for that too! You should share your waffle recipe too! :)
Made me verklempt.
by Erica Mauter Follow this reviewer
Rating 4 kitties
For some reason I was expecting this to be a comedy. It's totally not. But it touched me more than most comedies ever have. Lane shone a light on the holes in our social safety net and really keenly delivered an important message without being overly preachy.
This show made me sad, it made me angry, it made me think. And I want to help Lane open up his alternative food shelf.
A show that needed to be done
by Pat Lindgren Follow this reviewer
Rating 4 kitties
I struggled with this rating because I'm not sure I liked the extra two characters who provided interludes, but the stories she told of her attempt to survive were honest and authentic. They are stories we don't like to hear, but all need to. I enjoyed a lot. Even her political statement at the end was real and honest.
Powerful.
by Eric Meininger Follow this reviewer
Rating 4 kitties
Lane weaves a story that is very articulate and poignant. His advocacy for the community is present, but does not overshadow the power of the story. Katie and Walken do a nice job of adding a little comedic interlude without subtracting from Lane's performance. See this show! You won't be sorry.
Take; eat.
by Paula Nancarrow Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
“I do not have any difficulty believing the Host is Christ’s body,” said my Roman Catholic friend. “What I have trouble believing is that it is bread.” Apparently, however, transubstantiation is a fragile process. Because according to the Vatican, whether real bread or wafer, the priest can't make Jesus without gluten. I kid you not.
You might think that a show about chemical sensitivities and food allergies would be a preachy, uncomfortable experience. Instead it is full of beautiful moments, both in the interludes of music and juggling by Walken Schweigert and Katie Burgess, and in the narrative itself. I have never heard anyone speak of working in a minimum wage, food service industry job with such obvious pleasure, even vocation; his description of early mornings at the bakery reminded me of Brother Lawrence, practicing the Presence of God. There are kind people as well as the insensitive, unskilled in withholding judgment. That is life. And this is advocacy at its finest, a call for justice which draws people in rather than shuts them out. For the full text of this review, go to http://ordinarytime.livejournal.com/18529.html.
Moved Beyond Words
by M. L. Hedgmon Follow this reviewer
Rating 4 kitties
From the first strains of violin music to the last thud of canned food, I was hooked. The story of Lane's journey was one that I wish I could convey to my students in as eloquent a way as he did. The assumption that people on welfare are not 'working' as hard as others is a gross misconception and just highlights how ingrained the bootstrap myth is in our culture. I think this piece handled it with a strength and grace that many with they had. The music and juggling were these interludes that never took away from the denseness of the spoken words. They added a moment of levity that only enhanced the words that followed, offering an emotional respite that created a space to be filled. The show balanced laughter, tears and information and I came away thinking of ways I could help.
A different kind of Folly
by dixie treichel Follow this reviewer
Rating 4 kitties
Stories everyone needs to hear.
How do some folks fall through the cracks? and when are we considered outsiders? Because of allergies? poverty? gender? or changing our gender?
Well written stories and creative presentation.
Totally, totally original and affecting
by William Beeman Follow this reviewer
Rating 4 kitties
I want to say from the outset that this show is underproduced, but it is also so stunningly original as a performance piece, you will be charmed and fascinated. Lane McKiernan is a talented writer whose story forms the thread of this production. Lane might have been even more effective if the story had been narrated rather than read, but it still held our attention completely. The underlay of this production is the transsexuality of the performers, but to the performers credit, this is not the centerpiece of the show--it is about food politics and providing adequate nutrition to people with economic and dietary challenges. McKiernan raises an issue that few have thought about, and does it in an effective way. Then the story is interspersed with Walken Schweigert's wonderful figure as a clown violinist, and Katie Burgess as a mostly competent, jolly juggler. The entire mix is infectious and engaging. It is more a hoot and a thought piece than a finished entertainment, but it still entertains and provokes thought. Bravi.
Rainbows and Food
by Patricia Mack Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
Thank you Lane for adding new perspective on how food assistance works and how it does not, and the dark humor therein. Lane's performance has some subtle bits and riveting style. Even though we know there are a violin player and juggler on stage too, when Lane is talking we are totally engaged.
Be sure to see this one
by Patricia Drury Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
Lane is a truly gifted storyteller and has a complex personal story to tell that touches the heart while simultaneously making you laugh, cheer, and reflect. There are no slow moments and many vivid and memorable ones. The musician and juggler are effective accents and complete the "follies."
A touching and profound piece
by Robert Sidman Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
Lane tells his autobiographical story with humor, good will, and hope - a story that in lesser hands could have come out as desperation and loneliness. Katie Burgess and Walken Schweigert, juggler and musician respectively, flesh out this show and raise it to a notch above other storytelling.
Fringe perfection:smart, funny, creative
by Max Gries Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
Wow - the Perfect Fringe Show! Intelligent, humorous, thought-provoking, beautiful use of props and live music, equal doses of hilarious and compelling moments. This collaboration really works, with honest and artful storytelling, clownish juggling, violin soulfulness, and much more. An eye-opening fun ride and a must-see show!
Food for Thought
by Steve Schondelmeyer Follow this reviewer
Rating 4 kitties
Well worth seeing. Reality made alive through this monologue. The monologue was interlaced with enthusiastic music from a violinist and the antics of a juggler-comic mime. Lane has harnassed his experience and inner self and woven them into a clear and understandable presentation of how the food safety net does and does not work in America today. Humor was present, yet clear policy (without politics) messages were obvious as well. Way to go Lane!
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