Monthly Archives: June 2011

THE VINDLEVOSS FAMILY CIRCUS SPECTACULAR from Karim Muasher and Carrie Brown as part of the 2011 Cincinnati Fringe Festival. You can read the show description here.

Maybe life has killed the child in me, but, aside from a few chuckles, I found the show to be slowly paced and rather flat. But hey, free popcorn and glow stick.

Three performances remain of THE VINDLEVOSS FAMILY CIRCUS SPECTACULAR at Hanke 1:

• Wed, June 8 at 9:15pm
• Fri, June 10 at 9:30pm
• Sat, June 11 at 7pm

Links to all reviews can be found on the BTC REVIEWS page. Blog postings, links to other media reviews and more are available on my FaceBook fan page or you can receive updates on Twitter from @BTCincyRob.

RIP IN THE ATMOSPHERE by Psophonia Dance Company as part of the 2011 Cincinnati Fringe Festival. You can read the show description here.

When I attend a dance performance, I look for energy, athleticism, beautiful lines and body positioning, and underlying it all, good technique.

At RIP IN THE ATMOSPHERE, in the first three of four pieces, the dancers spent the majority of the time rolling around on the floor. In the final work, the paper costumes kept the dancers on their feet, but limited the performers to arm movements, “dance” walks and limited-range kicks.

If the purpose of RIP IN THE ATMOSPHERE was to present a 50-minute dance show with limited actual dancing, they succeeded.

The final performances of RIP IN THE ATMOSPHERE at Hanke 1 is tonight, June 5 at 8:15pm.

Links to all reviews can be found on the BTC REVIEWS page. Blog postings, links to other media reviews and more are available on my FaceBook fan page or you can receive updates on Twitter from @BTCincyRob.

Jennifer Roehm as Tilly in MELANCHOLY PLAY: A CONTEMPORARY FARCE by Sarah Ruhl. Photo by Mikki Schaffner.

MELANCHOLY PLAY: A CONTEMPORARY FARCE  by Sarah Ruhl from Ensemble Theatre of Cincinnati as part of the 2011 Cincinnati Fringe Festival. You can read the show description here.

Many times for me, seeing a Sarah Ruhl play is akin to jumping down the rabbit hole. A script of off-beat characters in increasingly strange situations with sudden and multiple left turns in logic.

What it takes to keep this crazy train on the track is a strong director. Thankfully Regina Pugh is behind the wheel (yes I’m mixing my metaphors), leading the talented Ensemble Theatre of Cincinnati Acting Intern Company through their farewell performance and their final experience as ETC interns.

Pugh makes great use of the various levels and play areas provided by the 25 THE MUSICAL set. From the ensemble she elicits focused, humorous and believable performances, no matter how outrageous the situations become within the play. Jennifer Roehm is charming and cute as Tilly in both emotional extremes. William Selnick is appropriately over-the-top as R-rolling Lorenzo the Unfeeling.

Proud “parent” Shannon Rae Lutz finds some inspired props, several of which bring laughter with their entrances. My personal favorite is an appropriately blue cello played beautifully by CCM freshman Randy Nashleanas, to underscore the performance.

For me, near the end of the play, Ruhl takes the story a bit too far down the rabbit hole, and loses me.

Only two performances remain of MELANCHOLY PLAY at Ensemble Theatre of Cincinnati :

• Sun, June 5 at 2pm
• Sun, June 5 at 7pm

Links to all reviews can be found on the BTC REVIEWS page. Blog postings, links to other media reviews and more are available on my FaceBook fan page or you can receive updates on Twitter from @BTCincyRob.

I LOVE YOU (WE’RE FUCKED) presented by Kevin J. Thornton as part of the 2011 Cincinnati Fringe Festival. You can read the show description here.

The tag line for ILY(WF) show reads, “Hilarious, fast paced mix of stand-up, storytelling and original music.” To which I say, “Yes folks, there is still truth in advertising.”

I really enjoyed Kevin’s first Fringe performance two years ago with SEX, DREAMS AND SELF CONTROL and was happy to hear he was returning this year.

What was great to see last night’s performance is how much Kevin has matured as a performer. He comes across more confident, more comfortable and more content on stage. But still all Kevin.

The SOLD OUT and very diverse opening night audience was the most vocal and appreciative one I have seen so far this year at Fringe.

JUST. GO.

One small disclaimer, if you are easily offended, this is probably not the show for you. But then again, if you are easily offended, why are you attending the Fringe Festival?

Four performances remain of I LOVE YOU (WE’RE FUCKED)  at ArtWorks:

• Sun, June 5 at 9pm
• Tue, June 7 at 9:15pm
• Thu, June 9 at 8:15pm
• Sat, June 11 at 9pm

I recommended that you make your reservations in advance as availability at the door could be limited.

Links to all reviews can be found on the BTC REVIEWS page. Blog postings, links to other media reviews and more are available on my FaceBook fan page or you can receive updates on Twitter from @BTCincyRob.

HEADSCARF AND THE ANGRY BITCH presented by Zehra Fazal as part of the 2011 Cincinnati Fringe Festival. You can read the show description here.

Zehra Fazal’s very fun (and educational) show gives audience members an irreverent, personal, view of what it means to be a young, female, Muslim-American.

Even though she’s wears a hijab (the traditional head covering  worn by Muslim women) throughout the show, her character and personality shine through in her voice, facial expressions and body language. (Something many actors have failed to do in numerous productions of the too numerous NUNSENSE musicals.) More importantly, she reminds us that people are individuals and that one’s religious beliefs are only part of what makes one unique.

The only complaint I have for the artist has more to do with the venue than her performance. Given how long the venue is, you may want to use the microphone throughout the entire show, not just when performing your songs. I was in the last row of Friday’s SOLD OUT performance and had trouble hearing a few times as you moved about the stage.

Three performances remain of HEADSCARF AND THE ANGRY BITCH at ArtWorks:

• Sat, June 4 at 7pm
• Sun, June 5 at 7pm
• Tue, June 7 at 7:30pm

I recommended that you make your reservations in advance as availability at the door could be limited.

Links to all reviews can be found on the BTC REVIEWS page. Blog postings, links to other media reviews and more are available on my FaceBook fan page or you can receive updates on Twitter from @BTCincyRob.