After a very stressful day at my AirBnB, it was wonderful to return to the Fringe for an attitude adjustment. The two shows I saw hit me from totally different directions, and made me sad that HFF19 is drawing to a close. Here are my reviews.
TITLE OF SHOW: Silent Joy
VENUE: Studio/Stage
REVIEW: If you know my backstory, then you know that mental heath is important to me. That was the underlying reason why I had to see Silent Joy. But there is so much more to their story. Inspired by Dante’s Inferno and adapted from the graphic novel by Zach Beckert, the stage version was written by Melissa Ordaz, with musical score composed by Matt Ordaz. Maggie Dorfman and John Michael Logie were magical in the lead roles, taking us through every emotion available to lead us to the goal. The supporting players were led by Carolina Reynoso as the young girl, Ramzi Kelley as the mother, Joshua Lopez as the father and Christopher Flores as the brother. Additional support came from Brian Bautista, Aaron Griffin, Janette, Valenzo and Megan Walker. In addition, Matt Ordaz (xylophone and percussion) and Chrissy Johnson (cello) underscored the show with music that made a difference. You will be changed by this show. Hats off to NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) for their support and for being there.
RECOMMENDATION: You MUST see this show. There is one remaining performance on June 29 at 4:30 p.m. Contact the venue for more information.
TITLE OF SHOW: Revenge of the Root Beer
VENUE: The Three Clubs
REVIEW: Michael Shaw Fisher is anything but stupid. Last year he regaled us with the insanely stupid Night of the Root Beer, the show everyone loves to hate. This year he has created a sequel that is every bit as bad, and the audiences loves it even more. On top of that, he has assembled a cast that reads like a who’s who of Fringe veterans, and even included our beloved Fringe founder, Ben Hill. Special props to Alli Miller, Heath Butler, Madeline Heil and Jim Hanna, whose over the top performances stood out, despite their desire to blend in. Kudos also to Nikki Muller for her delightful portrayal of Jazz. DISCLAIMER: No actors were (apparently) harmed in the production of this show. The world is safe until next year . . . or is it?
RECOMMENDATION: This was the final performance for this year, but who knows what next year will bring.