Reviews of three shows

include a oneman production, a collection of laugh-outloud sketches and a magical performance of sleight of hand.

Here are reviews from the 26th Orlando Fringe Festival, running through May 29 at Loch Haven Park and nearby locations. To see shows, first buy a $10 button online or at the festival. Each show then sells tickets for no more than $12. See the complete schedule at OrlandoFringe.org. For more reviews, plus video clips, go to OrlandoSentinel.com/Fringe.

‘Black in the Box’

Marlon Andrew Burnley is dragging a lot with him. Physically, it’s a big wooden box he struggles with. But in “Black in the Box,” you sense that emotionally it’s something more.

In his one-man show, Burnley sets out to document the black experience in America. Through dance, movement and video, he does more than provide a history lesson. He indicates to those of us who can’t possibly understand, what might lie in a black man’s soul.

Key is the use of masks. They are beautiful, but they serve an important purpose. The masks make the most painful parts of the show less personal and more comfortable to watch. Not that there aren’t uncomfortable moments, as there should be. Sound effects offer up the voice of the slave auctioneer, the moaning of the slaves, the rattle of chains, the crack of the whip.

Watching history unfold is a projected pair of mysterious eyes, peering from the darkness. Are they the eyes of history? The eyes of Burnley’s psyche? I suspect both, as this moving production shows us how the past creates the present — even when we don’t realize that’s happening. The Fringe Factor: A heartfelt, personal speech at the conclusion of the program brought the abstract back to the personal in an emotional way.

Curtain Call: Burnley has the charisma to make “Black in the Box” effective and reflective without becoming preachy or maudlin.

Where & When: Red venue, 60 minutes, $12, 13 and up. 9 p.m. May 23; 8:30 p.m. May 26; 1 p.m. May 28. Matthew J. Palm

‘Snack’

Besides the music, the loudest noise in the theater during “Snack” wasn’t made by the actors from the Gromalot Theatre Factory (formerly PB&J Theatre Factory). It was the audience, which was laughing through most of the 60-minute performance.

An occasional sound effect from the actors — the only thing uttered by them the entire time — inevitably led to guffaws from the audience.

The troupe led the audience through several sketches loosely connected to food, from a love connection started over a coffee encounter to a very familiar tussle with a vending machine that unfortunately fights back.

It all moves along two seemingly unrelated overarching storylines that eventually meet for a satisfying ending.

Each situation in the skits feels familiar: the senior using a checkbook in the grocery store, those days where stopping for a meal seems impossible and the boring office meeting that dissolves for birthday cake. The Fringe Factor:

It’s slapstick comedy at its finest: over-the-top silly faces paired with overblown action and some outrageous situations. The performers charm with their obvious chemistry.

Curtain Call: Lighthearted, family friendly “Snack” has a wide appeal with its simple but effective comedy. Children and adults alike will find it tasty. Where & When:

Silver venue, 60 minutes, $12, 7 and up. 7 p.m. May 22; 5:30 p.m. May 25; 7 p.m. May 26; 11:15 a.m. May 27; 1 p.m. May 28. Lauren Delgado

‘Cody Clark’

This act could be renamed “The Amazing Cody.” Sleight of hand plus card, rope and coin tricks are all part of “Cody Clark: A Different Way of Thinking,” but the interweaving of Clark’s back story makes the experience even more interesting, dare I say magical.

Clark was diagnosed with autism at an early age. As he was entering middle school, he discovered the magic of magic. In his Fringe show, he talks about the challenges and successes, an early obsession with Thomas the Tank Engine, learning seven words from George Carlin (Clark keeps it G-rated), the perils of T-ball, earning a college degree and a foiled romance. That’s all cleverly crafted into the magical part of the act. A segment about loving his grandmother’s mac and cheese turns into mysteriously pulling Velveeta boxes out of a sack.

I had imagined — and forgive my prejudging — that Clark would be sticking to the script, that he would be a fan of routine. But he repeatedly adlibbed, remarking on the beauty of an audience member’s beard and crowd reaction to specific jokes. Clark wraps up with a lovely trick and sentiment. Be prepared for an awww moment. The Fringe Factor:

Some of Clark’s asides were Orlando-specific, like our proximity to Hogwarts and — when the queen of hearts appeared in a trick — the number of queens attending Fringe.

Curtain Call: Go for magic; leave with inspiration.

Where & When: White venue, 60 minutes, $12, all ages. 5:30 p.m. May 25; 1 p.m. May 27; 2:30 p.m. May 28. Dewayne Bevil