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2024 Audience Reviews
Member Reviews
The following reviews were submitted by Fringe Member: Susan Searing
Company: Jamie Brickhouse
Show: I Favor My Daddy: A Tale of Two Sissies
Venue: Open Eye Theatre
Funny, touching - well written and acted
This show was at the very top of my must-see list this year, because I've had the good fortune to watch Jamie Brickhouse before and hungered for more. I'd give it more than 5 kitties if I could. The topic--our imperfect relationships with our parents, and how we come to know them both before and after their deaths--is fairly universal. Jamie has the two most important skills for a good solo storyteller: the author's ability to compose a complex and compelling narrative, and the actor's ability to deliver it with perfect inflection, physical presence, and timing. Believe me, these are both extremely hard to do when the material you're working with is your own life. Jamie nails it. I'll be thinking about his story for a long time.
Company: Jason Schommer
Show: A Material Boy Living In A Madonna World!
Venue: Strike Theater
Hilarious and emotionally deeper than I expected
This show was on my must-see short list because I've enjoyed Jason Schommer several times as a host of the Twin Cities Moth shows, so I was excited to see what he'd do with a full hour solo. Wow! The hilarious anecdotes just kept coming. His exceptional rapport with the audience felt entirely natural. As a professional stand-up comic, he has great timing and very expressive delivery. My pre-show attitude toward Madonna was neutral or maybe mildly positive, but Jason made me understand and genuinely appreciate the extreme joy people get from obsessing over celebrities. I'm grateful he shared both his and her amazing talents with us!
Company: Amy Oppenheimer
Show: Looking for Justice (in all the wrong places)
Venue: Bryant Lake Bowl
Thought-provoking
Maybe it was the hour (the 10pm slot) or the lack of a mic, but this performance felt a bit flat to me. Which is too bad, because the story is so powerful. For many of us, the choices we made and experiences we had in our 20s shaped the rest of our lives and left us with nagging thoughts of "what if." As a lesbian feminist Boomer myself, I came expecting to identify with Amy Oppenheimer's emotional and ethical journey, and indeed I did in a general sense. Her story illuminates the complexity and consequences of ethical choice; even without the short preachy address to the audience at the end (which I found unnecessary),her message came through clearly. Her struggles and growth were revealed through vignettes in which she masterfully played all the characters. It's obvious that she needs to tell this story. And on reflection, I believe we all need to hear it.
Company: American School of Storytelling
Show: More Better Stories
Venue: American School of Storytelling
First-person storytelling at its finest
The American School of Storytelling is an independent producer at the Fringe for the first time, with five tellers taking turns in solo and duo shows. So far I've seen Howard Lieberman and Sufian Zhemukov. Both of these tellers have garnered national acclaim, and we're so lucky that they reside in the Twin Cities metro. They are both extremely adept at creating stories from their lives, and this initimate venue is the perfect place to hear them. Howard's tales tend to focus on hard topics and social justice, and he delivers them with an intensity and unblinking self-scrutiny that pulls the listeners into his world. Even though I'd heard some of his stories before, I hung on every word. Sufian's style is more gentle and humorous, as he recounts his experiences as an immigrant from Russia attempting to adjust to American culture. One is reminded that national differences are real, but in many ways we're all alike. The storytellers are changing up their stories on different nights, but I guarantee all the stories will be engaging and worth your time. Marie Cooney and Loren Niemi are also in the rotation, and I recommend both of them highly as well; they know how to craft a good yarn. I haven't seen Leslie Polk before and am very much looking forward to her show, which looks to be the most unconventional of all in terms of of format and content. To sum up, whether you're already a fan of live storytelling or want to experience it for the first time, you should definitely sample all or some of "More Better Stories."
Company: Mermaid Productions
Show: A Monster Scientist and a Tattooed Anarchist Walk into a Bar
Venue: The Comedy Corner - Underground
Way more fun than your usual academic lecture
We attended the Monster Science show on 8/3. If you've ever taken a lecture class in college or attended an academic conference, you'll be familiar with the format: a professorial-looking guy reading a scientific paper illustrated with PowerPoint slides. And indeed, you may learn a lot during the hour. Each show tackles a different topic. We were treated to a lecture on evolution (mostly human evolution) that was laced with jokes and asides that came so fast that you couldn't stop listening to sort the brilliant ones from the lame ones. And really, who cares? The overall effect is delightful and informative and unlike anything else you'll experience at the Fringe. You should see at least one of these very entertaining shows!
Company: Alex Stokes / Sky Blue Productions
Show: Hugo and Maeve Join A Cult!
Venue: Bryant Lake Bowl
Non-stop Jokey Scary Fun -- Quintessential Fringe!
This was the perfect show to launch our 2024 Fringe experience. The two actors worked so well together, and the zany horrorific plot galloped along, filled with absurd doings and reactions. Loved it!