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Saturday, August 9, 2014

Fringe Festival: "Buckets and Tap Shoes"

Day: 7

Show: 23


Category: Dance

By: 10 Foot 5 Productions

Created by: Rick Ausland and Andy Ausland

Location: Music Box Theatre

Summary: The title pretty much says it all. Two guys create a percussion explosion with their feet and drumsticks on various surfaces.

Highlights: This is a surefire crowd pleaser; there's really nothing not to like. There's something about the rhythm of tap dancing and drumming that gets into your very bones. Although Buckets and Tap Shoes is a regular at the Fringe, this is the first time I've seen it. Rick and Andy are not only great and inventive tap dancers and drummers, but they also have an easy chemistry with each other, are playful with the audience, and make use of the entire theater - who knew you could tap dance on carpet or drum on a coffee cup? There is some high tech stuff that is not as fun as the low tech stuff; the best moments are when it's just the guys and their tap shoes, or banging away on ten-gallon plastic pickle tubs and cake pans, or chasing the light of a flashlight like a cat chasing a laser. There's not a whole lot to say about this one - it's fun, energetic, and entertaining. And kids seem to love it.