Sunday, August 13, 2017

Fringe Festival 2017: "MANIFESTO: An American Play"

Day: 10

Show: 44

Category: Drama

By: MAD Theatre Co.

Created by: Tim Beeckman Davis

Location: Mixed Blood Theatre

Summary: A sobering look at gun violence.

Highlights: This powerful piece speaks to the epidemic of gun violence by focusing on the stories of three young people, all tangentially connected. One has mental health issues that were never properly treated, one lashes out after being bullied for years and then raped, and one feels belittled by parents and excluded by former friends. The cast (Calli Kunz, Callie Schroer, Riley McNutt, and Tim Beeckman Davis) is fully committed to telling this difficult story, with portrayals that engender empathy for these young people who did horrible things. The three stories are told in pieces mixed together, but it's never unclear where we are in the narrative thanks to the lighting, sound, and movement of the cast. Beautifully done, painful to watch, and an important story to tell to spark thought and conversations about an increasingly frightening issue.

Read all of my Fringe mini-reviews here.