Sub-Total
2026 Audience Reviews
Member Reviews
The following reviews were submitted by Fringe Member: Aaron Burke
Company: Third Space Theater
Show: BE NOT AFRAID
Venue: The Southern Theater
Thrilling and visually stunning
If you saw the preview, you know this gets weird and spooky. There's always something lurking in the background of the story of a farming family with an oil rig being newly constructed in the distance. There's lots of tension and drama between the farmhouse folk as they deal with the stressors of the oil rig noise and disruptions and... what happened. The choreography and audio/video design of the oil rig scenes was fantastic. It really felt mechanical and oppressive. The story -- and especially the ending -- is left to a little bit of interpretation. There's the literal take and the allegorical take. The fact that it has enough depth in a 60-minute show to have multiple levels of analysis isn't seen often, and this show should be proud of that.
Company: Theatre Engine
Show: Chum!
Venue: Rarig Kilburn Theatre
It's weird that we have two Jaws parodies
If I had a nickel for every JAWS parody we had at Fringe festival this year, I'd have two nickels. Which isn't a lot, but it's weird that it happened twice. I haven't seen the other one (and likely won't; time is coming to a close!), and to be honest, I only saw this one because the show I intended to see filled up and I couldn't get in. But I rather enjoyed myself! It's hard to perform to multiple sides of the stage -- my troupe also performs in this same space, so we know better than most (and it felt very weird to be in the audience seating!) -- but the performers handled it well. You can't please everyone all of the time, but both sides of the stage received a good amount of attention. There were a few moments that one side was completely favored during musical numbers, but we could still (mostly) hear the lyrics from the opposite side. Great projection and enunciation from everyone. The performer playing double-duty as the councilman and the shark was fantastic! His politician voice is spot-on, some kind of blend between Reagan, Bush, and Obama. Then he switches to shark mode and brings a completely different energy. I realized after seating that I don't think I've ever actually seen the movie, but like... it's Jaws. We all know the story. Unlike the ocean, it's not that deep.
Company: Band Practice
Show: DON'T BE SCARED
Venue: Rarig Nolte Xperimental Theatre
Maybe overhyped?
Look, I had a great time at the show. I went in with no expectations. I was intrigued by the preview performance and talking with the two performers afterwards. They're absolutely iconic in-person. They flew in from Berlin to put this show on, and they deserve our support! They've sold out at least two of their five shows. Everyone raves about this show. Maybe I'm missing something, but I don't understand the hype. The girls are funny, have great comedic timing, and are very talented at their musical improv, but it was one extended bit. I kept expecting it to pivot to a new bit, but it didn't. It overstayed its welcome for me. I understand this is improv and every show is different, so the quality of the show is largely dependent on the quality of the suggestions. We had some good ones, but maybe other audiences gave more unhinged suggestions that lived up to the hype. Overall, worth seeing and supporting, but I'm not sure where all the hype came from.
Company: The Miller Conspiracy
Show: Bay Creek
Venue: Barbara Barker Center for Dance
Masterful Storytelling!
This show is proof that you don't need complex effects or production values to be creepy. All you need is a strong story told well, and this show absolutely does that. The lead (and only? I'm not sure if the overhead voice is recorded and cued or live) performer switches effortlessly between his two states, like flipping a light switch on and off. He tells the story of four generations of crime-ridden shenanigans with such relatable energy that.. yeah, they're technically the bad guys. Some more than others. But you still want to root for them. See this show while you can. At the time of my review, there's only one performance left, and I'm urging everyone I know to put this high on their list. It's a strong contender for my favorite Fringe show.
Company: The World Crime League
Show: M
Venue: Barbara Barker Center for Dance
Thrilling, but abruptly short
First, the shadow puppetry was top-notch! Great job with that. The actors and overall story were also good, but honestly, I wanted more. Especially from the ending. The ending felt particularly abrupt, even for Fringe. The climax hits, then it's curtain time. I'm not familiar with the source material -- but I want to watch it now! -- so I can't say whether or not this is true to source.
Company: Little Apple Theatre Company
Show: The Importance of Being Eternal
Venue: Open Eye Theatre
I don't really understand what I watched
To be honest, I don't really understand what I watched. The performers were definitely having a lot of fun on stage -- the girl playing the "ward" really sold the Lydia Deets trope -- and I'm sure for someone more familiar with the source material, it would have made a lot more sense. There was a lot of intentional farcical confusion that came together at the end, but if you're not familiar with the source material, maybe read its synopsis first to appreciate the storyline. Great vampire puns throughout, though!
Company: True Men Productions
Show: Castrati: A Tale of Two
Venue: Barbara Barker Center for Dance
Has Loads of Potential, Needs Refinement
This show could have used another few weeks of focused rehearsal. It has a lot of potential! But there were just enough weird choices in the production that took me out of it: 1. I couldn't understand any of the lyrics in the first musical number at all, so the introductory exposition was completely lost. It took me a while to piece it all together as the show went on. 2. Why did everyone share one mic? TBH, it wasn't even needed most of the time. Using the mic became a crutch. Performers should be able to project in this type of space without a mic. Weirdly, during some of the musical parts alongside a live orchestra, they often didn't use the mic at all, but would use it during otherwise quiet moments when no mic was needed. Worse, during some musical numbers, the performers attempted to share one mic and it's not an omnidirectional mic, so neither performer's vocals were picked up. 3. The live orchestra was a nice touch, but their placement should have been further downstage to manage loudness levels. 4. For the parts when the live orchestra delivered exposition or commentary, they were very clearly completely on book, scripts in hand. Was this a last-minute change? Critiques aside, the writing was pretty good, but the performers needed to lean into the ghastliness of it all a little stronger, especially in the beginning. I don't mean to be too critical, even if this review reads as such. This show has great potential! The puns and verbal allegory to describe all the ways of the misfortune were often great. The choreo was mostly tight; the younger girl in the ensemble definitely has dance experience and she's very comfortable on stage. It felt like everyone was following her at many parts. And the performer playing the kid who was accidentally slipped has some SERIOUS vocal talent, my god! That voice! She was giving Amy Winehouse. For those concerned about the actual content, know that this was a real thing that happened, mostly in Italy. Look up "castrato" (plural: castrati, hence the show name). This is not a trans allegory or modern-day gender statement, though some of the actual material does involve slander against the castrated child questioning if they're really a "man" (but note that this show is set in 13th century Italy).
Company: One T Productions
Show: After the End
Venue: Mixed Blood
Comedic yet heart-wrenching. We cried.
I'm not kidding. My two troupe members and I cried at the end. "Jeff" balances comedy, drama, the weight of crushing loneliness, and the anxiety of hope perfectly, all strung together with a guitar and well-placed songs that you hear in another light.
Company: Ben San Del Presents
Show: Apologies for the Late Reply
Venue: American School of Storytelling
You have to laugh so you don't cry
I'm so tired of living in unprecedented times. It's exhausting. I just want the world to be boring for a little bit. But it isn't and hasn't been for a Very Long Time. And Ben gets that. He's got great comedic talent, but he knows how to straddle the line between comedy and relatability of what it's like living through major historical event after major historical event. To Ben, if you read this: because of you, I'm a different MFer today. #iykyk
Company: Moral of the Story
Show: A Real Piece of Work
Venue: Theatre in the Round
Amazing tech and poignant performance
The first thing I noticed (as a Stage Manager myself) is that the lighting tech and cues were very clean. There were some rapid transitions and it was perfectly timed, so kudos to that part of the team! On the surface, this is a story about a local community theatre troupe putting on a Shakespeare play. They're all bad actors (as characters). But it isn't really about that. It's about why we all of us do shows like Fringe and why there will always be a place for even the worst productions. The actor playing Matt really stole the show at the end, he had such intense passion in his final monologue that I was blown away.
Company: an alleged Theatre Company
Show: FAST Death of a Salesman
Venue: Rarig Stoll Thrust Theatre
Probably better if you're familiar with the source
I'm not super familiar with the source material, so a lot of the show was lost on me. The comedy was fun, but it was incredibly chaotic. The auctioneer was by far the best performer, but a lot of the others didn't feel distinct enough if you're not familiar with the characters they're supposed to be. I really wanted to enjoy this show more, especially after Silver Surfer (from the same writer). It's not a bad show by any means, it just requires a little bit of contextual knowledge. I also felt disappointed in the ending; it felt abrupt and without any significant growth or resolution.
Company: Mike Fotis Productions
Show: Tech
Venue: Strike Theater
Improv, but doesn't FEEL like improv
I had no idea this show was improvised! (Admittedly, I showed up a few minutes late, so maybe I missed that) That's really my only complaint; I was originally going to give the show 3 stars, but raised it to 4 after talking to the performers and realizing they improvised the whole thing. I thought for sure this was a scripted show, and by that standard, the show felt a little unrehearsed and sloppy. But now that I know it was all off the cuff? Beautiful. Especially Sergei, the "tech". His comedic timing was PERFECT.
Company: SassEpants Productions
Show: So You Want to Date a Bisexual?
Venue: Open Eye Theatre
Long-form improv at its finest
I might be biased because my friend was chosen as the audience participant and I got to learn some new lore about her brought to life on stage, but this was one of the first shows I got to see and it set the bar high! This is long-form improv at its finest.
Company: Todd Sullivan
Show: Maniac
Venue: Rarig Nolte Xperimental Theatre
Absolutely Unhinged
It's impossible to describe this show. Just see it. It's absolutely unhinged with very impressive crowd work and audience participation.
Company: Sugar Throw Theatre
Show: Magical Athlete: Stadium Showdown
Venue: Rarig Stoll Thrust Theatre
I want to play!
The show is simple on the surface. They're playing a life-size version of a real board game -- a board game I didn't know existed, but now I'm definitely buying a copy when I get home! While it may not have been the intent, this show is a fantastic ad for the game, and whichever genius out there is behind the partnership with the board game developer/publisher deserves a raise, because you've made a strong sale. The improv characters really leaned into the absurdity and physical comedy of their roles! The audience was so engaged and rooting for their favorites with all the enthusiasm of a a real sports match of your favorite spectator sport. My only complaint is that Gabby lost so badly and I bet all my tickets on her! :(
Company: Jake Mierva
Show: I Will Become The Silver Surfer. I Will Protect You.
Venue: Rarig Stoll Thrust Theatre
I WILL SAVE YOU
I went in blind. I had no idea what to expect. There were no reviews at the time since I saw it on opening night. The preview was enough to capture my attention. Based on title alone, I expected a real-time silver body painting to "become" the Silver Surfer. That wasn't the surprise. Everything else was. You are not ready for the intensity of this show. You will laugh. You will gasp. You will relate to what you initially think is an unrelatable character. You will feel things you did not expect to feel. No notes. This was beautifully delivered with the raw passion you can only get at Fringe. See it, even if you know nothing about the Silver Surfer. It is not necessarily a story about the Silver Surfer.
Company: DallaDanna Productions
Show: Improvised Love Is Blind--Minnesota Fringe Edition
Venue: Strike Theater
I've never actually seen the Netflix show, but..
I only know about Love is Blind from cultural references; I don't watch "reality" TV and its ilk. That said, many members of my troupe wanted to see this show and I love a good spoof. I'm so happy we went! As you probably expect, the whole thing is improvised, so you'll get a different show each time, though they obviously have an intended structure. The actors really embraced their weird backgrounds! My only minor criticism is that the final scene when they deliver their vows and decide yes/no to the overall "will we go through with this?" question felt disconnected, since both the vows and the yes/no were picked separately. We had at least one couple who drew completely wholesome, pure, sweet vows (no jokes!) from the audience suggestion bin, but then drew "no" from the randomized yes/no decision bin, so it wasn't consistent. But hey, that's improv!
Company: Sockpop
Show: 1 Hour Left to Live: A One Puppet Show by That Felt Good
Venue: The Southern Theater
Amazing puppetry and storytelling!
It starts with a dark premise, but the audience suggestions bring a new story to every show! The puppeteer is truly a master; you hardly notice she's there, even when she's not obscured. She really makes the puppet come to life, and the rest of the improv troupe interacts with the puppet in the same way. There's a weird transition just prior to the end of the show with a stand-up comedian doing a ~10-minute set that feels unrelated to the rest of the show. It sets up the next and final scene, but it felt out of place. The comic wasn't bad -- they had some good material -- it just wasn't what I came to see. My best guess is that it was a time-filler and/or a rest period for the puppeteer. Overall though, very funny show! If there weren't a hundred other shows to see, I would see this one again.