Fringe Festival 2017: "Crash and Burn: An American Success Story"

Day: 6

Show: 24

Title: Crash and Burn: An American Success Story

Category: Drama

By: Middle Name Productions

Created by: Eric Marinus and the ensemble

Location: Jungle Theater

Summary: An original story about an Evel Knievel-like daredevil who returns home to the trailer park where he grew up.

Highlights: I love the narration and musical soundtrack provided by Tiny Gene Poole on steel guitar, it makes everything more melancholy and tragic. For this is a tragic story, despite the ironic title. Johnny Meteor (Trevor Keeth) has had some success in the daredevil jumping-over-things-on-a-motorcycle world, but after one too many crashes and burns, and the death of his mother, he decides to spend some time in the trailer park. He runs into old friend Ruth (Lauren Diesch) and her daughter Grace (Megan Rene Guidry), who wants to leave her books behind and enter the world of jumping, against her mother's wishes. Despite the plot twist obvious to anyone who's ever seen a soap opera and an inevitable conclusion, the show is worthwhile because of the winning and natural performances by the cast (particularly Lauren Diesch's impressive dual roles) and that plaintive steel guitar.

Read all of my Fringe mini-reviews here.

Fringe Festival 2017: "Code: L-O-V-E"

Day: 4

Show: 15

Title: Code: L-O-V-E

Category: Comedy

By: Highlander Kitty

Written by: Jenna Papke

Location: Crane Theater

Summary: A retelling of Cyrano de Bergerac set amongst WWII code-breakers, with the genders flipped.

Highlights: In this charming version of the classic story of unrequited love, experienced code-breaker and field agent Cynthia (Cyrano) and new agent Christine (Christian) are in love with the handsome Robin (Roxanne). The story plays out as in the original, with all of the letter-wooing, death, and too late confession of love. The WWII espionage adds a level of intrigue, and the gender-swap shows the old story in a new light. Compelling and heartfelt performances by the three members of the love triangle (Megan Rene Guidry, Meredith Kind, and Ethan Bjelland) make the journey through this familiar tale worthwhile, even though you know it ends in heartbreak. A sweet and entertaining re-imagining of a classic love story.

Read all of my Fringe mini-reviews here.