Minnesota Fringe Festival 2019: "The Buttslasher: And Then There Were Buns"

Day: 6

Show: 20

Title: The Buttslasher: And Then There Were Buns

Category: COMEDY / MYSTERY / HISTORICAL CONTENT

By: New Endeavors

Written by: Andy Rakerd

Location: Rarig Center Thrust

Summary: A sequel to the 2017/2018 Fringe hit Buttslasher, about the infamous criminal of Stillwater and the detective who hunts them.

Highlights: If you saw the original, you're in for more of the same cheeky fun here (pun intended). But don't worry if you didn't see the first one, this is a "stand-alone sequel," in which our hero Detective Heck Bills (once again perfectly portrayed by Glen L. Dawson) is invited to a dinner party at which the guests keep dropping - slashed in the butt. Even though Heck solved the crime in the last show, it seems our serial Buttslasher has returned to the dangerous town of Stillwater, or maybe has turned into something even worse - an ass-vampire (which is the set-up for the best/worst pun in the show, "hot cross buns"). The plot is a little convoluted (including deceased wealthy urinal cake tycoon Harry Backside and a senator jailed for slug fighting), but the puns come fast and furious, and the cast (Al Fiene, Cayla Marie Wolpers, Harry Lantto, Joy Rakerd, Thalia Kostman, and Varghese Alexander,) is great fun as they portray these noir-ish characters (and Thalia's mime is, as they say in the show, a delight). I could watch a new episode of Det. Heck and the Buttslasher every year, they really go all in with the theme of mocking yet paying homage to the noir genre, with as many silly puns as possible.

Read all of my Fringe mini-reviews here.

Fringe Festival 2017: "The Buttslasher"

Day: 4

Show: 14

Title: The Buttslasher

Category: Comedy

By: New Endeavors

Written by: Andy Rakerd

Location: Ritz Theater Studio

Summary: A noir crime thriller set in modern day Stillwater in which the main mystery to solve is that of serial butt-slasher.

Highlights: With a feeling of Garrison Keillor's Guy Noir, The Buttslasher combines that noir film feeling with comedy and local flavor. It seems to be set in the current time but some of the characters are straight out of the '40s, particularly our reluctant hero Detective Heck Bills, perfectly portrayed by Glen L. Dawson as he delivers monologues filled with world-weariness and regrets, particularly those involving his former partner Heart (Varghese Alexander) and former love Jo (Dorothy Owen) proprietor of the local establishment. Heck is faced with his toughest case yet in the tough town of Stillwater when a masked man begins slashing people in the rear (leading to lots of funny and groan-worthy butt/ass/cheek puns). Chief Karen Bently (Joy Rakerd), who takes no crap from anyone, least of all Heck, assigns Heck a new partner - the young brash Eric Balls (David Wasserman). Heck's daughter (Stanzi Schalter) also gets involved with the investigation, and with Balls. With great performances by the entire cast and clever writing by Andy Rakerd, The Buttslasher is perfectly fringey and cheeky fun (sorry, I couldn't resist!).

Read all of my Fringe mini-reviews here.