I only took in three shows on Saturday, out of the seven I had originally planned, giving me time to spend some time talking to friends at the Plunge and actually eat a sit-down meal before hanging with my bestie Kimleigh Smith for a while. Before we get started on those reviews, I’m sure you’re all anxious to know who won the Larry Cornwall Award for Musical Excellence, so here we go:
SOLO SHOW – Blackboxing
ENSEMBLE SHOW – An yet Another Evening with the Sistahs
Both shows have been extended, and we strongly recommend them both, so grab your tickets on their individual Fringe project pages.
TITLE OF SHOW: Olivia Wilde Does not Survive the Apocalypse
VENUE: The Complex (Ruby Stage)
REVIEW: Another of the Matts, this time Matt Robinson, has come through with an amazing addition to HFF19. This show is a masterpiece and his hand-selected cast are comedic geniuses in pulling out all the stops to make this the funniest damn show of the Fringe. Featuring Sean-Michael Bowles as the “hack director” and Emilie Martz as the “snooty actress,” the amazing cast also included Francesca Manzi as Rodeo, Chelsea Langenderfer as Chandler, Everett Dailey as Marcus, Chris Bunyi as Crenshaw, Asia Pitts as Abbot Kinney and Ashley Frances Hoffman as Dr. Kelli Hu The show was directed by Robby DeVillez, and he was brilliant. My sides hurt so much from laughing, especially at all the inside jokes. We will be quoting lines from this show for a long time.
RECOMMENDATION: Although this was their last performance, they have been granted an extension, so we advise you to be first in line when tickets become available.
TITLE OF SHOW: Transference
VENUE: The Broadwater (Black Box)
REVIEW: Certain Fringe actors have earned their reputation by consistently delivering quality work. Two of those particular performers are Esther Mira and Lisa K. Wyatt. They have brought this show to life which was written and directed by the equally brilliant Jim Blanchette. In what might be one of the most challenging roles of their lives, they play a therapist and her client, who is unintentionally “made aware” of her past lives during the therapy. I will not give away the great story, but suffice it to say that this one is definitely worth your time and money, making it one of the best dramas of HFF19.
RECOMMENDATION: This was their last performance, but if they do an extension, we strongly recommend that you attend.
TITLE OF SHOW: Hell’s Kitty
VENUE: The Broadwater (Main Stage)
REVIEW: After hanging around the Plunge for a bit, Kimleigh showed up from a long day of work and we shared dinner from the food truck before heading in to the movie. I had previously met Nicholas Tana at Starbucks and he invited me to see this show because of my history with horror films. He had also invited Kimleigh, so we thought it would be a great chance to catch a memorable show. It was that, although not the type of memories you necessarily want to remember. The show was very campy and dark, and will probably be enjoyed by a much younger demographic. It also seemed like the cast was not quite up to the challenge, as their were serious vocal issues. The one shinning star was the over-the-top performance of Maeve Thompson Osgood as Lisa Graves. Although not a total bomb, it could use some additional rehearsal time and maybe some recasting before going forward. i truly see the potential in the show, but felt it was not nearly as strong as NMI‘s other entry, The Bully Problem.
RECOMMENDATION: This was their last performance.