Three cheers for Bigfoot and belonging
Today’s Orlando Fringe Festival reviews: “ApocalypseVille,” “Enthrallment,” “Leland Loves Bigfoot” (highly recommended), “Missing Mercy,” “The Murray Method” and “You Belong Here.”
Stewart Huff doesn’t look much like his publicity photo these days. The hair’s a lot longer, and so is the beard. He fears he looks like a “crazy old man.”
But there’s nothing crazy in Huff ’s latest standup show, “Leland Loves Bigfoot” (Pink venue, 60 minutes, highly recommended).
Huff doesn’t want to hate humans, he really doesn’t. But he’s struggling, and who can blame him?
Huff ’s brilliance lies in the way he embraces how so many of us feel about politics these days without being political. He doesn’t mention names or policies — even if you can probably determine the voting habits of the people who wander into his entertainingly detailed anecdotes.
One of those people, Leland, is a moonshine-swilling, overalls-wearing good ol’ boy who invites Huff back to his farm for a little Bigfoot watching. But this setup really gives Huff the chance to let the humor fly as he speaks up for common sense, against hypocrisy and urges us to love one another. It’s damn funny, and not crazy at all.
Bob Kodzis and Nick Georgoudiou also want to spread the love and make our existence better. The podcast hosts’ “You Belong Here” (Blue, 60 minutes) offers an entertaining framework on how to connect to others — and more importantly, how to make others feel connected, as well.
The guys are winning storytellers, with musical assistance from Ryan Goodwin on the keys. In fact, one tale is the most moving story I’ve heard at Fringe this year. And the audience interaction doesn’t feel forced but succeeds in building community. Funny and sweet, “You Belong Here” recharges the spirit.
“The Murray Method” (Yellow, 60 minutes) is another show that’s good for the soul — and not only because of the presenters’ objective of creating greater diversity and inclusion in theater. It’s a story of a family with unusual challenges, of which only one is that Uncle Orlando has cerebral palsy. As it happens, Orlando — played with natural charm and good-natured humor by Michael Murray — is the most grounded of the family.
The devised script does a solid job of making you care about these characters from the get-go (and has you so invested, it’s disappointing not to get answers to all the questions that dangle). A couple of major dramatic moments fly by too fast. But these performers, as directed by Michael Mormon and Beth Marshall, do a fine job of finding emotional honesty in their scenes.
This is a true family show — not in the sense that it’s suitable for children (it’s not, because of language and sexual content), but in that it unapologetically and joyfully reflects the love, pain, anger and hope that come with being kin.
A trio of shows embodies the Fringe tradition of an enthusiastic group working with original material but failing to fully catch fire.
“Enthrallment” (Orange venue, 60 minutes) is a vampire story written by Elizabeth Nidever, who also contributed original music. In the tale, an uptight lord, a convention-defying violinist and a lesbian couple get caught up in a revenge plot by Dracula’s son against his daddy.
Not enough songs to be a musical, not enough atmosphere to be a thriller, “Enthrallment” ends up trying to be a little bit of everything.
That strategy works against it, though, as just as it starts to get creepy, it turns funny. Just as it tries to be sexy, it switches gears for scary.
The funny bits work best but often seem out of place in a show that wants you to invest in high emotional stakes — but also laugh at them.
A similarly all-over-themap approach hampers “Missing Mercy” (Green, 60 minutes). Charlotte Stowe’s look at privilege and vengeance has some great zingers scattered throughout, but the story seems needlessly overcomplicated, and some of the artistic choices raise questions: Why is one supporting character a puppet? Why do the police characters wear pig snouts?
The story line centers on rich and arrogant young Dante, whose enemies conspire to bring him down. The twisty show comes close to saying something profound about compassion and forgiveness but ultimately comes up short.
Finally, “ApocalypseVille” (Purple, 45 minutes), from IdiotBox Productions, has a great setup … followed by nonsense … followed by an interesting turn that seems as if it’s going to give the whole show meaning … but then doesn’t follow through in a satisfying manner. Set in a post-apocalypse world in which googly eyes apparently survived among the plastic grocery bags, “ApocalypseVille” opens with cheerful Oppie making a new friend, Solomon, who discovers all is not as it seems among the garbage and dancing rat people.
The show description warns against a sensitivity to colorful language, and that’s accurate — but, what’s odd is the cursing isn’t necessary. The blue language feels like just another gimmick added to a show not certain of its own identity.
ORLANDO FRINGE FESTIVAL
Where: Most shows take place at the Lowndes Shakespeare Center, Orlando Repertory Theatre, Orlando Museum of Art and the Renaissance Theatre at or near Loch Haven Park. Show venues in those locations are identified by color; off-campus locations are identified by name.
When: Through May 30 Cost: A $10 button is required for ticketed shows; then individual performance tickets are a maximum of $15.
Schedule, tickets and more info: OrlandoFringe.org