Year: 2015

Fringe review: ODDyssey

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By Wendy Carson

Blair Godshall wants to be an actress/dancer but in the meantime, she’s got to earn money to pay her bills. The show “ODDyssey,” playing at Musicians Union Hall, catalogs her journey through every crappy part-time job she has had to endure in her pursuit of that dream.

Since we have all had lousy jobs in our past as well, we can easily commiserate with her. Still, I felt that her personal growth displayed as the time passes is the more important point of the show.

While not flashy or thought-provoking, the show does remind me of the stories that women tell each other while bonding over a glass of wine. So, visit the bar and relax while making a new friend.

Fringe review: Men’s Room

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By Wendy Carson

“Men’s Room,” by Mayday Productions, playing at the IndyFringe Indy Eleven Theatre, is the story of one day at a local commercial jingle factory and the struggles to not only keep the firm afloat but also to succeed in fulfilling each character’s respective dream.

The cast is outstanding and will keep your rolling with the requisite “bathroom humor” you would expect in a show with this title. While you will plainly see the final punchline to the story coming a mile away, the actor’s embodiment of the various characters keeps you enthralled throughout.

This is a perfect accompaniment to some of the Fringe’s more surreal and dour offerings in order to balance strong drama with much-needed laughter. One note though: This show has been playing to packed houses, so you should purchase your tickets in advance to make sure you get in.

Fringe review: Ghost Story

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By Wendy Carson

Stand-up comic Peter-John Byrnes presents a “Ghost Story” at ComedySportz.

But don’t expect to hear your typical scary yarns such as are told around campfires. This reminiscence of a journey to visit the grave of an ex-girlfriend who committed suicide is tender, funny and will make you reconsider the ghosts of your own past.

It is a delightful storytelling offering, that will leave you thinking as well as entertained.

Fringe review: The Invisible Man

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By Wendy Carson

The Homeless. We see them on the streets, but we disregard them as “bums” and ignore them as if they are invisible.

But do we ever stop to think how they came to this place? Are they disgusted by where they have ended up? Have we all forgotten compassion and can’t realize that these are people the same as you and me?

These questions are highlighted in “The Invisible Man” by What’s in a Name? Company from the island nation of Mauritius, playing at the Firefighters Union Hall.

This is the dramatic story of one man’s journey from a successful businessman to living on the street, begging for a few coins and eating out of a dumpster. The deft telling of his proud, sad, haunted, but hopeful plight is artfully crafted and beautifully conveyed without ever being heavy-handed or judgmental – which makes it all the more tender and bittersweet. Remember: No one chooses this as a career goal, and we all have the potential of being there, too.

This is a great show that, like many other shows in the Firefighters Hall, deserves a bigger audience. Please seek out this venue and support the shows performing here. They are truly worth your time.

Fringe review: The Eulogy

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By Wendy Carson

Warning: Do not drink anything during this show, as you will likely spit it out on your fellow patrons from laughing hysterically. Also, make sure you visit the restroom before the performance as you may need to avail yourself of it during the show, and the “no re-admittance” policy will break your heart.

In “The Eulogy,” at the Musicians Union, IndyFringe newcomer Michael Burgos deftly spins from one character to the next as they all give their personal eulogies at the less-than-somber occasion of the funeral of “Thomas.”

It would appear that the deceased was not only a glutton (he ate 14 friend eggs every morning) but a thoroughly despicable human being that no one is sorry to see go.

The audience becomes the various mourners at the funeral, including his lovely wife whom at least one of the eulogizers has apparently been in love with from afar. This leads to a turn of events that are straight out of a cartoon (I was honestly surprised that I was not actually watching Bugs Bunny carrying out this revenge on Elmer Fudd).

Funny is too weak a word to describe this show. In fact, there are no words to tell you how wonderful it is. I do warn you that it is entirely possible you could hurt yourself laughing at this, but your pain would be worth every second of delight you experience. This show is one that you do not want to later regret that you missed out on.

Fringe review: Drosselmeyer’s Magical Bedtime Story

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By Wendy Carson

One never knows what to expect when No Exit brings a show to the Fringe, except that it will be entertaining, to say the least. And this offering, “Drosselmeyer’s Magical Bedtime Story,” playing at the Marrott Center, does not fail to follow through on that promise.

Anyone who has seen the company’s amazing production of “The Nutcracker” will be familiar with the titular character, based on the magical toymaker in the holiday story. However, for those of you who have sadly missed the experience, suffice it to say that the word “character” cannot even begin to describe him.

His gypsy troupe enters the stage area and begins their bizarre performance in a manner reminiscent of the animal parade from “The Lion King.” Once he introduces himself and his somewhat simple-minded assistant, Sparkle, we all discover that she is now with child. Drosselmeyer has concerns about her parenting abilities, and enlists the help of various audience members to instruct her on parenting basics with the help of his new dancing troupe, The Mosquito Ladies. Needless to say, hilarity ensues.

This show is delightfully irreverent and managed to surpass my already high expectations of its content. A definite must-see for those looking for the lighter side of edgy and unique theatre.

Fringe review: Captain Ambivalent

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By Wendy Carson

If “Weird” Al Yankovic were more of a storyteller than just a comedy musician, this is the show that he would write. Instead, that duty falls to Captain Ambivalent in the “Not So Secret Origin of Captain Ambivalent,” playing at the Marrott Center.

The story of this legendary character is highlighted by some amazingly funny songs, wild costumes and wonderfully cheesy props. One of my favorite offerings was inspired by his 10-year old niece: “Let’s Bury Barbie in the Back Yard.”

The show is a sheer delight and very family-friendly. However, when I went, the parents were much more entertained by it all than their children.

Make sure you bring your camera for the photo-op at the end of the show, as well as some extra cash to purchase one or both of his CDs. You will surely want to share the songs with your friends.

Fringe review: A Little Business at the BIG TOP

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By Wendy Carson

What can one say to describe the sheer genius of David Gaines? He manages to convey rich stories and delightful characters without uttering a word. His use of sound and mime create more elaborate drama and comedy than you would believe possible.

That talent is on brilliant display in “A Little Business at the BIG TOP,” playing on the Theatre on the Square main stage, in which he plays all the characters at a circus.

If you saw the amazing whirlwind that was his past show, “7(x1) Samurai,” or even are new to his talents, do not miss this opportunity. It truly is a delight for all ages. The two young children sitting near me at Saturday’s performance were entirely rapt by the whole thing (and they had been hesitant to see it when they found out it was a mime show).

Again, see this amazing show! You might regret missing out on the experience.

Fringe review: The Yellow Wallpaper

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By John Lyle Belden

Based on an 1892 short story, “The Yellow Wallpaper,” presented by Earlham Theatre Department at the Marrott Center, tells of a woman confined for a “rest cure” in an upstairs room with bars on the windows and apparently a hideous pattern on the walls.

Our subject and narrator is presented by three actresses simultaneously, demonstrating her slowly fracturing mind. She starts to see odd, changing patterns in the wallpaper, eventually becoming sure that a woman is trapped within. At the back of the stage is a yellow wall, with subtle markings within its chaotic pattern that has us in the audience sharing in the growing madness.

The woman’s husband and physician, “John,” is a disembodied voice. This makes him seem at first godlike, but reveals him to be more distant and (despite or due to the state of 19th-century medicine) clueless until it is too late.

This haunting early classic of feminist literature, with elements reminiscent of H.P. Lovecraft, clocks in at around 30 minutes, yet is intense enough to be worth your ticket. You could use the extra time to get something to eat before the next show – just, wherever you go, don’t look too closely at the walls.

Fringe review: Whisper in My Good Ear

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By Wendy Carson

“Whisper in My Good Ear,” by Vintage Players at the IndyFringe Basile Theatre, is the story of two old men overwhelmed with the hardships of their lives. Charlie’s wife has been institutionalized for 34 years and shows no signs of improvement or even any recognition of who he is. Max has lived a lonely life in which he would call random phone numbers just to hear another person say, “Hello” to him.

Since their outlooks are so bleak, they have made a pact to meet in this park and end their lives together. We are therefore witnessing the final conversation of their bleak existence.

In the hands of these two brilliant actors, this drama is uplifted into a level of brilliance that supersedes the dour subject matter. Lawrence Ripp brings a tender, joviality to Charlie and his hopefulness even in the face of his slow loss of everything that he loves in his life. Patrick O’Brian’s introspective take on Max and the unadulterated loneliness of his life makes his character’s sorrow even more poignant.

Watching these two seasoned actors bring this story to life is a delight that should really not be missed.