Day 2 was not as hectic as day 1, but just as enjoyable. I worked my part-time job in the morning, then spent the afternoon writing reviews of the day 1 shows, as well as getting ready for my own preview performance last night. One of my roommates at the Air BnB wanted to see the show, and wanted to spend some time discovering what the Fringe is. Although he is the son of long-time Fringe reviewer Ken Worther, Angel Morales had never been to a Fringe show. He made a great +1 for the evening, and got the chance to see what I do first-hand, including having dinner with one of my fringeships, Rasika Mathur. Thanks for coming along.
TITLE OF SHOW: Uprooted: A Tale of Navigating Turbulence to Find Home
VENUE: The Lounge Theatres
REVIEW: Solo shows have always been one of my favorite forms of Fringe expression, and I review a multitude of them each year. I love their honesty and triumphant story, and the bravery it takes to share these sometimes dark truths with the public. During my nine years of reviewing Fringe shows, one director keeps popping up behind my favorite shows, and that is Jessica Lynn Johnson, who not coincidentally directed this show. Vanessa Boss revealed so much in this show which was totally relatable and filled me with more hope that I was following the correct path. What made her show so different was her use of mythological creatures to represent the different aspects of Boss’ psyche and bring her struggles to life so that we could all cheer as she made life-changing discoveries. Although a bit slow at first, she soon hit her stride and kept the audience mesmerized with her beautiful storytelling. Her audience interaction skills were likewise brilliant, enabling her to break the third wall without missing a beat. It was the perfect show to prepare me for my own preview show that occurred later that night. Thanks for a wonderful experience.
RECOMMENDATION: Don’t miss this show. Remaining performances are June 23 at 12 p.m. and June 29 at 2 p.m. Tickets are available on her Fringe project page.