Phantasmagoria, nuns and a gorilla at ‘Fringe Today’
Yes, many of us are in the workweek, so we should be acting sensibly. But how can we when “Fringe Today” is running full steam ahead? Pour a cocktail, stay up late. Didn’t someone say during quarantine, all rules were off? Or was that just me talking aloud?
“Fringe Today,” this year’s online alternative to the annual Orlando Fringe Festival, runs each day from midafternoon until late. Here are some highlights.
Speaking of being naughty, A Little Bit
Off presents “Bad Habits — A Nunsensical Comedy” at 6 p.m. Tuesday, May 19. It’s the latest from the group that created such silly Fringe favorites as “Beau & Aero” and “Bella Culpa.” In the show, two nuns struggle to find the light … and stay in it — which sounds like a clever reference to both faith and stagecraft.
You can find another Fringe favorite, Timothy Mooney, at 8 p.m. May 19, in his show, “Man Cave: A One-Man Sci-Fi
Climate Change Tragicomedy!” In it, the last man on Earth broadcasts to whatever other life forms might inhabit our universe — about how we messed everything up. In 2018, Orlando Sentinel reviewer Todd Stewart praised Mooney’s rapid-fire delivery, swagger and humor, and raging sense of urgency.
For a Fringe tradition, tune in at 11 p.m. for the Flashlight Cabaret. Fringe stars offer performances lit only by their flashlights.
Wednesday, May 20, brings Nathan Mosher, a new name to me. At 7 p.m., the performer weaves standup, music and poetry for a reflective solo show with the super-long title of “Nathan Mosher is Injured: A compilation of jokes, songs and poems about a breakup, a breakdown, a breakthrough and everything in between.”
Another late-night offering, and extralong title, comes at 11 p.m. May 20 when Jon Bennett presents his Fringe-iconic “A Young Man Dressed as a Gorilla Dressed as an Old Man Sits Rocking in a Rocking Chair for Fifty-Six Minutes and Then Leaves.” Having experienced it live, I can tell you it’s surreal and exactly what the title says it is. I can only imagine the online comments.
At 6 p.m. Thursday, May 21, Phantasmagoria presents “Tales by Candlelight.” You light your own candles; the stylish troupe will provide the haunted poetry, tales of terror, fire dancing and more. There’s another chance to play trivia with Opera del Sol at 7 p.m., and get
some new cocktail recipes from Fringe bartenders at 8 p.m.
After magic by Fringe vet Keith Brown at 9 p.m., Melanie Gall’s delightful “Ingenue: Deanna Durbin, Judy Garland and the Golden Age of Hollywood” caps the evening at 10 p.m. Her musical play, an award-winner at the 2019 Orlando Fringe Festival, looks at the lifelong rivalry between the two stars.
The shows are free, but tipping the performers is strongly encouraged. Find Zoom links to the fun and complete daily schedules at OrlandoFringe.org/FringeToday. Find me on Twitter @matt_on_arts or email me at mpalm@orlandosentinel.com. Want more news of theater and other arts? Go to orlandosentinel.com/arts