Category Archives: Cincy Fringe Festival

June 3, 2015 · 2:44 pm

EDGAR ALLAN Review

Nick Ryan as Edgar Allan & Katie Hartman as Edgar Allan.

Nick Ryan as Edgar Allan & Katie Hartman as Edgar Allan.

Links to all reviews can be found using the REVIEWS link at the top of the page. Blog postings, links and more are available on myFacebook fan page. You can also receive updates on Twitter from @BTCincyRob.

EDGAR ALLAN presented by The Coldharts as part of the 2015 Cincinnati Fringe Festival.

You can read the show description here.

Nick Ryan as Edgar Allan & Katie Hartman as Edgar Allan.

Nick Ryan as Edgar Allan & Katie Hartman as Edgar Allan.

Following last year’s haunting folk song-cycle of THE LEGEND OF WHITE WOMAN CREEK, The Coldharts return to this year’s festival with EDGAR ALLAN, a dark comedy with music.

Katie Hartman’s Edgar Allan is all high-energy and highly-strung. Desperate to prove himself in boarding school, his plans for success are almost immediately challenged by another boy named Edgar Allan. Nick Ryan’s Edgar is soft-spoken, even keeled, and quick to extend a hand in friendship.

The Coldharts are a talented and charismatic pair. Inspired by the childhood and short stories of Edgar Allan Poe, this quirky tale of one-sided rivalry is very fun and definitely a favorite of this year’s festival.

Two performances remain through June 6.

I would enjoy hearing what you think about the show or my review. All I ask is that you express your opinion without attacking someone else’s opinion. You can post your comments below.

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June 2, 2015 · 1:56 pm

DOWN AMONG THE VULTURES Review

CFF_Down Among the VulturesLinks to all reviews can be found using the REVIEWS link at the top of the page. Blog postings, links and more are available on myFacebook fan page. You can also receive updates on Twitter from @BTCincyRob.

DOWN AMONG THE VULTURES presented by as part of the 2015 Cincinnati Fringe Festival.

You can read the show description here.

To be honest, when I read the word “poetic” in a show description, my experience translates that into “over-written.” Unfortunately, DOWN AMONG THE VULTURES proves my experience correct. I found the characters to be way too verbose and the word choices didn’t feel appropriate to these modestly-educated folks in the rust belt.

The opening rant monologue of Waylon Simms doesn’t offer much in terms of exposition as he staggers around the stage in a hospital gown (in his own home?) sometimes dragging an IV stand, which he’s not connected to. Played by Andrew Hamling, I felt the performance was a bit over the top or perhaps too big for the venue.

The second scene is heavy with exposition and connects the dots from some of Waylon’s ramblings, which is good. But it does make me question the need and purpose of the first scene. Bradley Jennings Evans does solid character work as Oswald Motherwell. As written, Waylon’s unambitious children Lars (Michael Perrie Jr.) and Mindy-Lou (Laura Madden) are thinly-defined and spend most of the show lamenting their circumstances. Ave M. Lindon looks great for the role of ex-wife and mother Tammy-Maye Simms, but aside from the reference to vodka in her water bottle, doesn’t behave like the alcoholic, pill-popper her children describe.

The last scene of the show is a flashback to the characters last “family” dinner that doesn’t build to…anything.

Overall an odd pieces that doesn’t quite reach the heights of dark comedy it was aiming for. Three performances remain through June 6.

I would enjoy hearing what you think about the show or my review. All I ask is that you express your opinion without attacking someone else’s opinion. You can post your comments below.

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June 2, 2015 · 12:30 pm

METH: A LOVE STORY Review

Carli Rhoades as She, Connor Lawrence as He, Spencer Lackey as Scary Methhead.

Carli Rhoades as She, Connor Lawrence as He & Spencer Lackey as Scary Methhead.

Links to all reviews can be found using the REVIEWS link at the top of the page. Blog postings, links and more are available on my Facebook fan page. You can also receive updates on Twitter from @BTCincyRob.

METH: A LOVE STORY presented by #theatercompany as part of the 2015 Cincinnati Fringe Festival.

You can read the show description here.

When I attend a performance, there are elements that pull me in and pull me out of the experience. Ideally it’s more of the former and less of the latter. Things that don’t ring true to me, emotionally and logically, collect in my critical brain over the course of the show. Too many and I do reach a point of saturation where the show just doesn’t work for me.

METH: A LOVE STORY doesn’t work for me.

Most of it is due to the script. I don’t believe the environment of the show. I don’t buy the circumstances of how the college students came to be in this situation. I felt there were times when attempts were being made to manipulate my emotions instead of appealing to them. And I didn’t make a connection with the characters, so the tragedy doesn’t have an impact except for some brief shock value.

Performance wise, I thought Katie McDonald as Mommy Methhead did strong and consistent work. The last scene between her and Laura McCarthy as Spunky Methhead had some solid emotional beats to it.

To be fair, I am in the minority in my opinion with other Fringe-goers. I also acknowledge that these kind of “inconsistencies” bother me more than the average theater-goer.

Regardless of how I responded to it, please know that I appreciate all the hard work that went into it. Two performances remain through June 5.

I would enjoy hearing what you think about the show or my review. All I ask is that you express your opinion without attacking someone else’s opinion. You can post your comments below

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June 1, 2015 · 3:12 pm

KISS AROUND PASS AROUND Review

CFF_Kiss Around Pass AroundLinks to all reviews can be found using the REVIEWS link at the top of the page. Blog postings, links and more are available on my Facebook fan page. You can also receive updates on Twitter from @BTCincyRob.

KISS AROUND PASS AROUND presented by Shoshinz as part of the 2015 Cincinnati Fringe Festival.

You can read the show description here.

When my niece was little, she would pull together a mish-mash of toys and spend hours creating her own little adventures. There is the same kind of simplicity and imagination in KISS AROUND, PASS AROUND.

Japanese performer Yanomi is a joy to watch. Her energy and charisma are infectious. As Kiss Around, Pass Around, she quickly had the audience under her quirky spell. Just thinking about the show makes me smile. A truly unique experience.

Perhaps the fringe-iest entry of the year. It’s definitely a Fringe experience I’ll remember for years. Three performances remain through June 5.

I would enjoy hearing what you think about the show or my review. All I ask is that you express your opinion without attacking someone else’s opinion. You can post your comments below

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June 1, 2015 · 2:18 pm

HITCHHIKERS MAY BE INMATES Review

CFF_Hitchhikers May Be InmatesLinks to all reviews can be found using the REVIEWS link at the top of the page. Blog postings, links and more are available on my Facebook fan page. You can also receive updates on Twitter from @BTCincyRob.

HITCHHIKERS MAY BE INMATES presented by Clifton Performance Theatre as part of the 2015 Cincinnati Fringe Festival.

You can read the show description here.

Again this year, while Clifton Performance Theatre’s entry may not be the fringe-iest show in the festival, it certainly offers some of the best performances in the festival.

Local professional actors Michael Bath and Kevin Crowley are excellent in this three-scene one act. Both characters are on the tightrope of sobriety. As new AA-member and emotionally-fragile Dave, Bath gives a great nerd-to-jock quality to his relationship with J.D.

Crowley is great to watch in the role of J.D. There is this constant intensity coming from the character. I enjoyed how you were never really sure if J.D. was working to steady Dave on that tightrope or push him off of it.  His transformation of J.D. for the final scene is mesmerizing to watch. Kudos also have to go out to Evan Verrilli as the line-less Waiter. Your body language and facial expressions were so much fun.

For a show that is mainly two guys at a table talking, director Buz Davis keeps the energy high and the blocking dynamic. He makes the well-written script by Crowley, shine.

Definitely a favorite of this year’s festival. Seeing these two on stage together for $15 is a steal. Three performances remain through June 6.

I would enjoy hearing what you think about the show or my review. All I ask is that you express your opinion without attacking someone else’s opinion. You can post your comments below

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