Escape to Fringe for laughs, gasps
Here are Orlando Fringe Festival reviews by theater criticMatthew J. Palm and the Sentinel’s reviewing team.
‘Escape fromBaldwin Park’: Written by Steve Schneider and directed by Jay Hopkins, “Escape fromBaldwin Park” gleefully skewers everything froma local car dealership to Lynx buses to the old Mark II Dinner Theatre to theHoop-DeeDoo Revue. It shamelessly name-drops localweathercasters TomTerry andAmy Sweezey. Itmakes haywith funny popculture references. And it does all this while simultaneously parodying an old cult sci-fi film, “Escape fromNewYork,” and the Turner ClassicMovies cable channel. It’s a tall order. The showdelivers. The setup: TCMhost Robert Osborne (MattHorohoe, dryly funny) and guest Drew Barrymore (Darby Ballard, in a deliciously comic impersonation) are presenting a screening of “Baldwin Park.” It’s a cheesy adventure in which a criminal (RobertWright, with perfect swagger) must rescue Orlando Commissioner Patty Sheehan (Maria Ragen, full of pep and vinegar) fromthe nuclearwasteland that oncewas the upscale Orlando neighborhood.
The “movie” plays out onstage in ridiculous fashion, including some actual filmed bits, humorously devised byDarrenHumphrey.
One quibble: The ending feels too abrupt after all the merriment that has come before. But this is aminor issue. Escape from “Baldwin Park”? No, thank you. I’m happy to stay.
Details: Green venue, 60minutes, 13+, $10, 1:15 p.m. today. MatthewJ. Palm
‘House’: Victor has a job with a septictank company, an obnoxious co-worker with a view, awife who’s also his cousin, a sister with an annulment habit, a tiny invisible ball, no socks and a problem.
Repeat Orlando Fringer Jon Paterson enthusiastically plays Victor in “House,” a one-man/one-chair piece written by Canadian playwrightDanielMacIvor. Paterson shows great range earlywith a manic runthrough of fellowmembers of his grouptherapy session and their assortedwoes. Off-beat adventures follow.
Creative lighting keeps “House” from looking stagnant.
Paterson handles wry turns of phrase and the breaking of fourthwall with ease. His Victor is a little scary but thoroughly entertaining. You’ll feelwelcome at this “House.”
Details: Pink venue, 60minutes, 13+, $11, “FrankenChrist: The Musical,” shown at the Orlando Fringe Festival preview in April, has a sweet message of tolerance at its core.
Fringe Festival reviews
What: Short plays, music, comedy and other performances; plus an art show and weekend activities for kids
Where: Performances are at Loch Haven Park, 777 E. Princeton St., and The Venue, 511 Virginia Drive. Visual art and Kids Fringe are also at Loch Haven. When: Through May 27 Tickets: Outdoor activities and the art show are free. To see a play, buy a Fringe button ($9), good for the length of the festival, and then a show ticket ($11 or less). More information: Orlandofringe.org Reviews of all shows: OrlandoSentinel.com/fringe 5:45 p.m. today. Dewayne Bevil
‘FrankenChrist: TheMusical’: You have to think that Jesus himselfmight be a fan of “FrankenChrist: TheMusical.” Earnest, heartwarming and cheery, “Frankenchrist” is preaching the old message of “Love YourNeighbor as Yourself,” or to express it more secularly, “Can’twe all just get along?”
With peppy songs by Elaine Pechacek, charismatic actors who are good singers and a clever story concept by ThomMesrobian, “FrankenChrist” burbles along on charm and a prayer. Some Christian youths decides theworld can’twait for Jesus to return so they plan some genetic engineering to bring a savior to theworld.
Meanwhile— and what else but a musicalwould feature such a coincidence!— a similar plan is hatched by a group of liberal progressives. (“I don’t judge, I’m a vegan,” proclaims one.)
But history has shown us humankind doesn’t reactwell to dueling religions or saviors.
Right as things really get interesting— should the FrankenChrist be given a conscience of its own?— things begin to go awry. The muddled and rushed ending unnecessarily throws in theWestboro Church and fails to live up to the fun that came before.
Still, I’m a believer in this feel-good bit of faith, fun and common-sense philosophy.
Details: Yellowvenue, 60minutes, 13+, $8, 9 p.m. today. MatthewJ. Palm
‘Marathon’: TJDawe continues his exploration of, well, himself in his latest Fringe offering, thewell-written and often quite funny “Marathon.”
In 2012’s “Medicine,” Dawe introduced Fringe-goers to the Enneagram personality-exploration system, and “Marathon” continues to look at what makesDawe tick. It’s a bit like rejoining a college course two years later, and sometimes “Marathon” feels like a lecture asDawe seeks to better understand his personality. Or, as he might say, the real TJDawe under the personality.
In “Marathon,” Dawe againmixes his self-analysis with vivid storytelling. The self-analysis segments let the audience play along as he runs through the three basic instincts common to all mammals— selfpreservation, sexual and social. With his quick examples, it’s easy to type yourself. (As Galinda sings in“Wicked”: “Think of it as personality dialysis.”)
Forme, the storytelling is far more interesting than the personality stuff. Dawe’s descriptive ability shines as he describes running a track meet against Satan, andwe hear more of his sharply funny observations— such as the true message of “Back to the Future.”
Callme shallow(Canwe blamemy personality for that?) but I’d rather hear more aboutDawe’s colorful life and less about his psyche.
Details: Yellowvenue, 60minutes, 13+, $11, 1:45 p.m. today. MatthewJ. Palm
‘Ennui’: Circus Arts has done an amazing job of creating a showthat is so much more than just, well, circus arts. Of course, there are talented circus artists, demonstrating great skill at hand-balancing, silks and teeterboard to name a few.
Butwhat makes this showso unique is that alongside themany gasp-inducing moments is a special journey that will expose emotions and leave a much deeper impression than your standard circus.
Theword “ennui” means a lack of spirit, enthusiasm or interest. The cast of “Ennui” suggests that to break this state one must incorporate a perfect balance of the eight “rasas,” or essential mental states: courage, lust, disgust, rage, fear, grief, wonder and joy. Each mental state is beautifully illustrated by a team of acrobats on a piece of apparatus.
For example, courage is expertly demonstrated by Csaba Szilagyi and Benji Aleksandrova during a hand-balancing act. Grief is mournfully danced in the air on golden-colored silks. Rage, as depicted on a teeterboard, got the most gasps, asmen used an adult teeter-totter to propel each other high into the air, allowing for flips, twists and tricks.
But perhaps the most impactful performancewas by the cast member who neverwent upside down, never hung by his neck, never folded his body into unimaginable positions. Brandon Roberts of PB&J Theatre Factory is a silent herowho started in a state of ennui and allowed these performers to bring color to hisworld.
Roberts has an unbelievable ability to create an entire showfull of dialogue without saying oneword. His expressions, physical reactions and simple sounds tell the audience volumes.
Details: Orange venue, 45minutes, 13+, $11, 7:30 p.m. today. Lania Berger