This show is part of the 15th Annual Indianapolis Theatre Fringe Festival, a/k/a IndyFringe, Aug. 15-25, 2019 on Mass Ave downtown. Info, etc., at www.IndyFringe.org.

By Wendy Carson

Welcome to the 2019 Championships of the extremely underground sport of VolleyBrawl.

This year’s lineup is sure to be thrilling and we begin with a rousing match between “Sugar and Spike” (a pair of lunch ladies) and “Clark & Nancy” a couple who seem out of their league as well as out of their wits. While the game seems pretty routine at first, we find out soon that this is literally a duel to the death (all players wear collars that deliver a lethal shock upon losing).

We then meet some of our other teams: “Orphan Twin Force” (a goofy pair of orphans with strange supernatural powers fighting in honor of their Sensei); “Aceholes” (two stereotypically cartoonish Russians); “The Cowpokes” (a couple of yokels in Cowboy hats); “Team Tiffany” (think 80’s style pop-tarts); and “Top Gunz” (every 80’s macho movie cliché in one).

Add to this “Zeros 2 Heroes” which is made up of a very douchey guy trying to make time with his partner (who is definitely NOT an undercover cop who has spent the last three years infiltrating the sport in order to avenge her dead husband who was also undercover investigating the game but got to close and was killed).

The whole show overflows with silliness and 80’s references abound. Musical numbers are tight and enjoyable. Even the volleyball gets its own song during the Memorial Montage to athletes lost on the way to the finals.

In the hands of a less skillful cast, this show would be just okay. However, Matt Kramer and Defiance Comedy have recruited a stellar cast and together they make this one of the funniest offerings of the Festival.

Remaining performances are Friday and Sunday evenings at the IndyFringe Theater, 719 E. St. Clair.