comedy

Fringe review: Kill the Column

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By John Lyle Belden

Written by former Evansville (Ind.) Courier & Press columnist Garrett Mathews, “Kill the Column,” presented by mamaproductions on the Theatre on the Square second stage, presents aging veteran columnist Grinder, played by Mark Atchison, who has just been demoted to beat reporter, as the paper will no longer run his column.

In fact, in a reflection of the state of many newspapers today, Grinder isn’t the only person seeing his job picture change. Numerous other staffers have lost their jobs altogether, and from the inside it looks like the paper itself is doomed. One of the few remaining newsroom denizens is Marilou (MaryAnn Mathews), a society writer resigned to adjusting with the changes and enjoying her work while she has it. She even refuses to take the bait when grumpy Grinder gets more surly than usual with her.

After Marilu exits, Mathews returns minutes later as a much different character – one able to help Grinder escape his grind. But the decision will come at a cost, and not just to him.

This twist drives the subject of the decline of newspapering to the background, as the plot is revealed to be more about family, love and what is truly important. So you don’t have to be an ink-stained jaded journalist like me to appreciate this little comic drama with a surprising amount of heart.

By the way, Garret Mathews told me that some of the odd things that Grinder relates happened in his career are based on actual events that happened to Mathews or his journalistic peers. It’s an interesting life, trust me.

Fringe review: Acting My Age

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By John Lyle Belden

In “Acting My Age” at ComedySportz, stand-up comedian Matt Holt reflects on how age is as much an attitude as a number.

Holt relates that others always want him to act “older,” unless his parents want him to lie to get children’s admission. He admits that his apparent immaturity has given him problems in relationships. And then there’s the issue of whether to man up and go to Birmingham again.

Holt makes you laugh a lot and think a little, as he reveals the secret isn’t what age you act, it’s how you act at whatever age you assume. There is mature language, but you can decide for yourself the maturity of the speaker.

Fringe review: The Comedy Magic of Oscar Munoz

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By Wendy Carson

Firstly, I must admit that when I attended “The Comedy Magic of Oscar Munoz” at the IndyFringe Indy Eleven Theatre on Thursday night, I had confused my times and thought I was seeing, “Hannibal, ‘LIAR!’” By the time I figured out I was in the wrong show, there was no way for me to get to another one, and since I hadn’t been able to fit this into my schedule, I figured I’d go ahead and watch it, and I am glad I did.

The tricks are fun, but not too elaborate, and Munoz works the crowd beautifully. Since there were some children in the audience they were happily recruited to assist him with his illusions. In fact, much of the audience became involved in one way or another.

Rabbits and birds appear out of thin air and even the simplest tricks are presented with such aplomb that you can’t help but be charmed by it all. So bring the whole family to this show and catch a wonderful evening of magic and humor.

Fringe review : An Indian Comedian: How Not To Fit In

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By Wendy Carson

In “An Indian Comedian: How Not To Fit In,” a delightfully straightforward stand-up show, Krish Mohan is just plain funny. His insights on racism and alienation are presented with a light-hearted touch, which can be very difficult to pull off, especially in our current climate.

There are many things to learn here, most important of all is that you should visit the Grand Canyon lest ye be reincarnated as a bedbug, or worse. I especially recommend this show to anyone missing Phil van Hest and his style of humor.

So head on over to the Firefighter’s Union Hall and check out this performance. You’ll be glad you did.

Fringe review: Camp Summer Camp

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By John Lyle Belden

Taking on “camp” in more than one sense of the word, Defiance Comedy gathers some wildly-talented local actors and distills memories and movies of summer camps with their horny counselors and creepy killers into “Camp Summer Camp” at Musician’s Union Hall.

It’s summer 1984 at the titular Canadian camp, and the counselors gather: One is determined to “become a man,” but the object of his desire has dedicated her body to Jesus; meanwhile another girl wants to throw herself at him, if she can find her glasses to see whom she is throwing herself at. Another guy isn’t taking it well that he’s not senior counselor, and the new guy from the States is eager to show off his falconry skills. Keeping this all together are the very, very close siblings who run the place, promising a lot fewer fatalities this year.

The antics that ensue are nonstop funny, clobbering cliches and trampling tropes all the way – even adding goofy touches like shouting “Ow! Ow!” when someone resets the cardboard prop “campfire” upright. And, there’s the fun sing-along of the “Camp Summer Camp Summer Camp Song.” You’d best sign up in advance for remaining camp sessions, as a lot of people are dying to get in (or was that get out? Hmm…).

Fringe review: I’m Not Gay

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By John Lyle Belden

Senator Bobby insists, “I’m Not Gay,” but in this comic drama by Matthew Barron, presented by Submatter Press at the Marrott Center, no one believes it. The press seems to prefer taking the word of the man he was sleeping with.

Russell Lee Watson plays the Indiana Senator, who doesn’t understand why no one believes him. He’s sure that all men have his urges, but since being gay is wrong, they just suppress them better than he does. This is frustrating to his wife Margaret (Kerra D. Wagener), who accepts him regardless, and his closest advisor George (Aaron Cleveland), who has been in love with him for years.

These characters struggle to sort out how they feel and what they mean to each other, generating quite a few laughs on the way. Daniel Klingler rounds out the cast as gay bar worker Billie Joe, who dispenses much-needed wisdom as only a way-out-of-the-closet bartender can.

The play doesn’t come down too hard on hypocrisy or the state of politics today, focusing on the very human struggles of three personalities stuck in a world where appearances are everything and you are only as good or relevant as your last soundbite or headline. Between these actors’ performance and Barron’s words, they actually make us feel for a conservative blowhard; yet that may not be a bad thing.

Fringe review: Speedthru

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By John Lyle Belden

For those who tread the boards, acting can be a stressful business. Even during rehearsals, when someone doesn’t show, it’s a hassle working around the missing person and getting those lines down. For this company, portrayed by Eclectic Pond’s Matt Anderson and Kate Homan, no one else in the cast of “The Importance of Being Jeff” has shown up – but theatre company board members have, and they want to see a run-through of the show. This is further complicated by the fact that the two actors didn’t pay much attention to the script beyond their small parts in the third act.

This sets up the “Speedthru,” playing at Firefighter’s Union Hall, in which the two play all the roles as best as they can recall them – and it’s not like anyone else has read this obscure play – as fast as possible before the folks paying for this show catch on that they don’t know what they’re doing.

Homan and Anderson show immense talent, as it takes a lot to look like you’re just winging it and still be entertaining. This slapstick quick-change farce, with wry commentary on classical plays thrown in, is a treat for all audiences ages teen and up, but especially for thespians who remember being in similar binds themselves.

Fringe review: Cocooned in Kazan

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By John Lyle Belden

Inspired by Ukrainian author and satirist Nikolai Gogol, British troupe Royal Kung Foolery presents “Cocooned in Kazan,” playing in the Marrott Center, the story of a ladies’ man in 19th-century Russia who finds he must settle down and marry to inherit his parents’ estate. But this requires going to his little home town of Kazan, where all the women know him, and not fondly. So Konstantin instead pines for newly-arrived Katya, while his maid, Tatiana, has her eyes on him.

This results in a lot of comic situations and creative physical humor, helped along by occasional anachronism and several fourth-wall moments. Yet as manic and goofy as things get – even when a character walks offstage to share a drink with an audience member – the story never falls apart.

This is easily one of the most entertaining shows of the fringe, and a great example of how wonderful it is to draw in such international acts.

Fringe review: Growing Up All Over Myself

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By John Lyle Belden

I encourage everyone to make a point of seeing comic Mat Alanso-Martin’s stand-up show, “Growing Up All Over Myself,” at ComedySportz, not only because he is good, but because his gently building and rolling style of humor works best with the energy of a big audience.

We didn’t have that big a crowd during the afternoon show I saw, but he made the best of it, extolling the virtues of being loose and comfy in your own skin and declaring that he is “pro-dildo” but doesn’t like vibrators – note the content gets into the range of mild “R” or TVMA.

The creator of past Fringe show “Trailer Park American” has some great observations about growing older and other aspects of life, so gather some friends and see for yourself.

Fringe review: Jason Adams is a God Damn Mind Reader

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By Wendy Carson

The most important thing I can say about “Jason Adams is a God Damn Mind Reader,” rocking Theatre on the Square’s second stage, is that if you want to see it, reserve your tickets in advance as every performance has been and will continue to sell out. Otherwise, you will miss out on this spectacle.

Part magician, part storyteller and all showman, Jason Adams engages the audience even before they enter the venue. Working the crowd and passing out cookies (Jammie Dodgers no less) his overwhelming charm is ever-present.

Once inside, his wife, Erin Adams, delights you with her lovely singing while Jason continues to engage the audience. How can one describe the level of enjoyment he coaxes from the crowd, except to say that the theater may have sustained structural damage from the overwhelming excitement.

The feats of magic and mind reading are silly and extremely cheeky but always entertaining. And you might come away with a newfound respect for Canada.

As the title suggests, there is a bit of mature language, but consider the show a PG-13.

If you are lucky enough to attend a performance, you will not be disappointed by a single moment of the show. Again, reserve your ticket now or miss out on the show all of the “cool kids” will be talking about for quite a while.