Monthly Archives: June 2011

OTR 2081 from DIY Productions as part of the 2011 Cincinnati Fringe Festival. You can read the show description here.

The young actor tour guides, supported by audience plants, do a good job in their tag team delivery, and in setting the mood of the work. The fact that one of the performers had trouble getting to the venue for the start of the show could account for some of the pacing problems and (what seemed like) a truncated tour of the neighborhood.

The script seems to be a hodge-podge of ideas that don’t always connect together. For example, extremely limited population figures given for 2081 , the repeated mention of CDs and DVDs (but not of computers) and the props used, does not reconcile with one character’s mulitple references to wikipedia. Also the term EMD is used several times as in “Pre-EMD vehicles,” but I’m not sure EMD is ever explained. There are several moments where the potential for satire and social commentary are realized, but they are the exception and not the rule.

Marching the entire audience out in the heat to “experience” Over-the-Rhine is certainly not worth the effort when there is no scripted narrative to go with it. Final note, a little GLEE goes a long way.

Two performances remain of OTR 2081 at MOTR Pub.

• Fri, June 10 at 7:15pm
• Sat, June 11 at 7:15pm

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.

YOU ONLY LIVE FOREVER ONCE from Four Humors Theater as part of the 2011 Cincinnati Fringe Festival. You can read the show description here.

The best way I can describe YOU ONLY LIVE FOREVER ONCE is James Bond meets the NAKED GUN in the style of THE 39 STEPS on a shoe string budget. All the spy movie elements you expect get the Four Humors treatment and the result is a clever, fun and imaginative homage with tongue firmly planted in cheek.

A strong four actor ensemble keep the story moving ahead at breakneck speed, both in front and behind the puppet stage. Showing great versatility, the actors from last year’s THE FINKLE’S THEATER SHOW (sorry no program was available) are barely recognizable as the spy leads.

The few issues I had with the performance are minor. At times, the dialogue coming from behind the set is muffled by its fabric. I’m sure the audience’s laughter varies wildly from performance to performance, but I think if would serve you well to hold for laughs more often. I found the litany of spy cohort names to be a great bit, but it takes a second or two to process the names and responses. I understand that you were going for a quick fire delivery in that scene, but it couldn’t hurt to slow down and give the audience a beat to process and enjoy the lines. So I guess my second issue can be summed up as I want more time to laugh.

Three performances remain of YOU ONLY LIVE FOREVER ONCE at 1423 Vine.

• Wed, June 8 at 7:30pm
• Fri, June 10 at 7pm
• Sat, June 11 at 5pm

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.