Category Archives: Cincy Fringe Festival

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.

DENALI from Working Group Theatre - Photos by Andrew Hungerford.

DENALI presented by Working Group Theatre as part of the 2011 Cincinnati Fringe Festival. You can read the show description here.

It has been said, for writers, that the devil is in the detail. At the heart of DENALI is the exploration of that concept and the consequences of changing the detail, no matter how good the intentions. And then, those intentions are questioned.

The script by Austin Bunn is smart and layered. All of Bunn’s characters are guilty of hidden motivations. (You can’t spell denial without Denali.) The devil is in the detail for the audience as well. Clues are dropped throughout the play and the payoff is when those dots connect by the end of the show.

The solid acting ensemble (who also directed the production) work well together as three childhood friends link by Josh, who perished on Mt. McKinley. Kristy Hartsgrove, who plays Josh’s sister, shows great range later in the show as the  TV show host.

Only two performances remain of DENALI at Know Theatre: Sat, June 4 at 7:15pm and 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.

DARKER from New Edgecliff Theatre - Photo by Andrew Hungerford.

DARKER presented by New Edgecliff Theatre as part of the 2011 Fringe Festival. You can read the show description here.

In DARKER, film noir meets Fringe and the result is a very stylized and engaging theater experience. All aspects of the production compliment each other, making the final result more than the sum of its parts.

Director Illana Stein creates beautiful stage pictures and fully-realized performances from her cast of four: Michael Carr as Max, Jeffrey K. Miller as Tom, Mindy Heithaus as Lucy and the lighting. I don’t really know how better to describe it. Using several free standing, unshaded light bulbs in various lit combinations throughout the show. the shadows become a fourth presence on stage. Kudos to Melissa Bennett on her lighting design and technical direction.

Back to the breathing cast, in both look and performance, Mindy Heithaus personifies the femme fatale. One more than one occasion I realized she was standing in a “classic” movie pose…I didn’t see her step into it, but suddenly it was there. It’s attention to these kinds of details by everyone involved that elevates the show. Another component to the success of the show is the genre-matching costume and prop design of Jim Stump.

Catie O’Keefe’s script takes the 1940’s Hollywood mystery and turns it on its side. Clues are dropped throughout the show, and if at the end I didn’t have all my questions answered, I have to wonder…Was that the playwrights intention or did I overlooked the answers hidden throughout the show? Either way, I’m fine with that.

There are a couple of minor issues I did want to mention. The use of the tap light does not match the motif for the production. Also I would encourage actors to hold for another beat or two for the blackouts before breaking the scene.

Four performances remain of DARKER at Know Theatre, Sat, June 4 at 4:30pm; Mon, July 6 at 8pm; Thu, July 9 at 7pm and Fri, June 10 at 9:15pm

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.