Father-son drama, musical circus shine
Today’s Orlando Fringe Festival reviews include “Fruit Flies Like a Circus Peanut” (highly recommended), “Grabbing the Hammer Lane: A Trucker Narrative (highly recommended),” “Sad Girl Songs: A Comedy Show,” “Scream Gays” and “Tree.”
A father, a son and a great divide born of hurt is at the heart of the poignant
drama “Grabbing the Hammer Lane: A Trucker
Narrative” (Brown venue, 60 minutes, highly recommended). Playwright David M. Proctor plays both roles, telling essentially two views of the same story: Long-distance trucker Matt is speaking with a therapist after a falling out with his father. (The titular “Hammer Lane” is a trucking reference, but you don’t need to know anything about the industry to be pulled into the show.)
It’s a fascinating portrait of family dynamics, the hurt caused by words and the disappointment caused by unfulfilled expectations. As directed by Proctor and Marlon Burnley, though, each emotional beat plays with a naturalness in the acting that grounds this tale of two men in need of redemption in urgent reality.
Unfortunately, “Grabbing the Hammer Lane” only plays through Tuesday, so grab a ticket while you can. As Matt advises us on living, in just one of the play’s affecting moments: “Do it today. Don’t put it off.”
Hilary Abigana, C. Neil Parsons and Greg Jukes are back with “Fruit Flies Like a Circus Peanut” (Orange, 60 minutes, highly recommended). The circus theme kicks in right off the bat with a lively rendition of “Entry of the Gladiators.” If you didn’t know that was the name of the jaunty tune that always brings a circus to mind, don’t worry: The Fruit Flies productions are always educational as well as entertaining.
The performers display their customary joie de vivre in expanding the boundaries of classical music with Abigana on
flute, Parsons on trombone and Jukes on percussion and accordion. They can make a Gershwin piano prelude sound jazzy and joyous without a piano in sight, though a Radiohead trombone composition seemed morose.
In keeping with the circus theme, this year there’s knife juggling (by Jukes, whose face is an
emotional roller coaster in itself ), and aerial silks performance by Abigana and Parsons. This trio’s zest for what they do is so powerful that even if a midair trombone solo failed to come off, it just makes the audience root for them even more.
Comedian Gwen Coburn turns very funny bits into something more serious
in “Sad Girl Songs: A
Comedy Show” (Teal at 54 W. Church St., 60 minutes). Coburn describes breaking into the boys’ world of improv comedy with shattering results; her pain is as real as the laughs she creates in the show, directed by Kayleigh Kane.
The best bits are the original songs, which include titles such as “Daddy Issues Boyfriend.” As seen as a preview, the ending left me slightly dissatisfied: The closing song isn’t the strongest, and some earlier references could be tied together more crisply, but Coburn’s “dark feminist stuff ” as her mom calls it remains with you after the lights go down.
Natasha Mercado’s “Tree” (Blue venue, 50 minutes) is a highly interactive bit of fun with Mercado portraying a tree who longs to be human. What follows are gameshow questions that serve as set-ups for some silly sketches; the best is a bridezilla on her big day.
Mercado has a winsome and winning way with her clowning and improv skills. And if, in her arts-andcrafts costume, she makes you think about humanity’s foibles — and by foibles, I mean failings — in between the laughter, all the better.
Finally, Bryan Jager’s “Scream Gays” (Orange, 60 minutes) starts as a parody of the “Scream” horrorflick franchise with a funny and faithful opening scene. The Orlando Artist Guild production strays from literally re-creating the movie but is all the better for its musical-theater meanderings, silly “celebrity” cameos and humorous visuals.
The most crucial thing it gets right in its ode to “Scream” is the meta-ness of the storytelling; in this case, it’s theater about theater. (A “Turkey Lurkey Time” reference!) The show’s not as clever as last year’s “The Spider Queen,” but the Sondheim-loving crowd will have a good time.
ORLANDO FRINGE FESTIVAL
Where: Shows at Loch Haven Park are in colorcoded venues; off-campus locations are identified by name.
When: Through May 29 Cost: $10 button required for ticketed shows, then individual performance tickets are no more than $15. Schedule, tickets and more info: OrlandoFringe.org