"Two Gents" by Ten Thousand Things at Hennepin Avenue United Methodist Church

Ten Thousand Things' new Artistic Director Caitlin Lowans is making their directorial debut with the company, and I'm happy to report that TTT is in good hands that will continue the tradition of making theater for everyone. I'm not surprised; Caitlin has been with TTT for a little while and delivered charming and endearing pre-show speeches, but it's a thrill to see their work on stage. Or rather, in a square on the floor surrounded by a few rows of chairs in a room with All the Lights On where TTT performs, replicating their community performances in treatment facilities, shelters, prisons, and other spaces that don't have regular access to theater. As Caitlin notes in the program, Two Gentleman of Verona, affectionately called Two Gents here, is an appropriate choice for this first - it's believed to be the first play  that Shakespeare ever wrote, and it's the first time TTT is doing it in their 30+ year history. I've seen this play a couple of times before, but there's no one I'd rather see do any Shakespeare play than TTT, and this production continues in making these 400+ year old plays clear and understandable, modern and relatable. Two Gents is an effervescent romcom that's also about friendship, loyalty, and accountability, with an impossibly talented cast of just five actors playing all of the roles in the play. It continues at Hennepin Avenue United Methodist Church through the 26th (across from the Walker with a large free parking lot), with one performance at the Capri Theater in North Minneapolis, and concludes the run at 825 Arts in St. Paul on University. You can find the full schedule and ticketing details here.

Minnesota Fringe Festival 2023: "The Definition of Loss"

Day: 8

Show: 28

Title: The Definition of Loss

Category: DRAMA / PHYSICAL THEATER / STORYTELLING / AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION

By: Ashen Armor Productions

Written by: Ash Kaun

Location: Mixed Blood Theatre,

Summary: An exploration of grief using dance, movement, and theater.

Highlights: This is a beautifully artistic show, one that's not linear and doesn't spell everything out for you. Which is to say I wasn't always sure what was going on, when we were, or who was who, but that's not a bad thing. Playwright/director Ash Kaun's mother died when she was just 14, and this is her very personal and raw story. She also performs in the show, as both her 14-year-old self, and her adult self, getting through those early days without her mother, and later, after living half of her life without her. The ghost of her mother is there with her (played by Mallory Lewis with real emotion), encouraging her, and trying to help her through it. A shadow of herself at the age her mother died, or maybe even younger (Kyra Scanlan in a non-verbal but physically expressive performance), is also there, mostly hiding, eventually interacting in a beautiful mirrored dance (choreographed by Kyra). This is a lyrical and lovely portrait of one person's journey through and with grief.

Read all of my Fringe mini-reviews here.