Phoenix Presents

How to Kill a Horse

This is the kind of thing I loveat Fringe! Experimental and entertaining and Rob is a shockingly agile horse!

Some really GREAT stuff, and some stuff needs work

4-1/2 Kitties, "How to Kill a Horse" by Rob Ward. Rob man, what a showman. This show comes with a content warning at the start, and boy does it need it. But its dark, gritty, and extremely entertaining. So high energy. I really enjoyed this show. But some of the darkness was a little too dark, and for those who might be squeamish, this is NOT the show for you. 5 kitties, "Aging in the Age of Change". As a 52 year old cis het white dude, this is definitely a message that targets my demographic. And it is definitely a message my demographic needs to hear. But it wasn't a bully pulpit or a proselytizing, preaching speech. It was done with grace, empathy, and humor. The adage that you catch more flies with honey than vinegar is certainly true of this show. I hate preaching and sledgehammering points. But this show did not do that. I enjoyed this on a more fundamentally personal level than I expected for a Fringe show. 4 kitties, "Slices". This show is 4 separate fantastically raw horror monologues. I really enjoyed them. They were creepy, disturbing, and had the right amount of shock value that it left the audience gasping at some parts and laughing by the end as they realized what they'd just seen. There were two though, where the actors had their scripts with them on the stage and used them occasionally to remind them where they were in the story that seemed to take them a bit out of character, and took me a bit out of the visceralness of that particular monologue.

Aging can still teach old dogs new tricks

Scot Froelich, has a message, and it is one you ( and or more specifically the men in your life) must hear. Acerbic one moment then entirely amiable the next, this person has lovingly crafted a show with charts and figures that in my mind would be a welcome addition on any international stage. The equivalent of a most welcome and contemplative Ted Talk . The show's irrefutable content ( not to be spoiled here) is a much needed wake up call to our own personal and interpersonal daily interactions. This human,never fails to deliver with a successful repetiore of Fringe productions ,(Aging) proves Froelich is evergreen, a consument proffesional whose self effacing vulnerability utilizes the fringe platform decisively and most effectively as a clarion call insighting us all to be a little kinder and a just a little better than we were the day before for the betterment of all...what a wonderful legacy...thank you for your story.

Aging in an Age of Change Review

This show is fantastic. Funny and interesting. Raw and personal. Sciencey. Scot is warm and honest and seriously self aware. The pacing could not be any better. I loved it and you will too.

Neigh-sayers Beware: A Dark Trot Through History

Hey, you think you know the streets? You think you've seen it all? Well, lemme tell ya, 'How To Kill A Horse!' ain't just another show, capisce? It dives into the darkest alleys of American history, shedding light on a tale of fraud so twisted, it'll make your skin crawl. And lemme tell ya, that one guy, Rob Ward? Genius. Wearing all the hats, singing, acting, and laying it all out on the stage, he's the real deal. The direction by Thomas Buan? Impeccable. No holds barred, graphic, shocking, but damn fascinating. A roller-coaster, really. If you're in Minnesota, and you miss this, fuhgeddaboudit. 'Phoenix Presents' is giving us a gem with this one. Don't miss out.

Three show review!

5 kitties "Aging In An Age of Change"/Scot Froelich Dang. Sincerely heartfelt with sciency bits to move the storytelling along. I left this show with hope that we all can change to become better humans. 4 kitties "Slices"/Brian Watson-Jones This was horribly, deliciously, wonderfully visceral horror. Cate Jackson and H Jo Raiter did gorgeous work. I got knocked out of the impressive storytelling with some scripts being on the stage. 4.5 kitties "How to Kill a Horse"/Rob Ward As others have noted, this is a quintessential Fringey show. A bit of a content warning for those interested in the show, I think a picture of a dead horse (it's not graphic) is shown as part of the media? It's not super obvious that the horse may be dead, (and I know that this is a show about killing horses, yes) but just a warning in case the image may trouble audience members.

How to Kill a Horse

I absolutely loved this show. He does an incredible job. The songs are great, the dance moves are perfection. I laughed so hard my stomach hurt. It was also very interesting. I never knew I never knew so little about how to kill a horse. I wish this was continuing after Fringe. I hope does more shows in this style in the future!

Aging in an Age of Change

Scot is so great at telling stories. Listening to him talk about life and being human just makes me feel good and hopeful for the future because there are kind and honest people in the world. It's not a "White Man Bad" type of show - although I mean, come on. It's his take on being over 40 and living in today's world. I expected to enjoy it, and I honestly did.

How to Kill a Horse (You Really Learn!)

This is such an ambitious solo show and, as was the consensus of the group of friends I saw it with, it is so Fringey. My strategy this year seems to be (so far) see the weird stuff first. You should too, because it's the weird stuff that picks up momentum and becomes harder and harder to pack into your schedule if you're one of the spreadsheet girlies (or fellas or nonbinary buddies). How to Kill a Horse has everything: song and dance; mime; a Barbie (how timely!) and what appeared to be old WWE Attitude Era wrestling figures?; karaoke; a jump scare that possibly only actually scared me; dressage AND costume changes; and indeed a lesson on how to kill a horse with audience participation and a prize (valued at $3ish dollars is my estimate). There's a ton of information, plenty of which is depressing and some of which is very dry tax law, but Rob found a way to add some much needed moments of levity among talk of some of the more depraved acts of humanity. The powerpoint slides were informative and the tech really added a lot of production value. I also love that the Phoenix has a big comfy lobby and a huge variety of beverage and snack options. It's worth making the trek over for this show! Heed the content warnings, which are also reiterated at the top. RESUBMITTING TO ADD: I also want to disclose that I know Rob and he’s a friend.

Rob Ward is a (Demented?) Genius

"How to Kill a Horse!" is probably the best Fringe show I've ever seen. Clever writing, outstanding physical comedy, and a compelling look into the dark world of organized crime.

So Much Energy!

I saw "How To Kill a Horse" as a random choice, and I was definitely impressed! One of the most energetic and charismatic solo shows I've seen -- as well as surprisingly informative.

Many moving parts

I saw How To Kill A Horse for its first performance tonight. An almost miraculously Energetic and focused performance by Rob Ward in a one person show of 58 minutes. This is a highly detailed and complex story of multiple wrong doing with a host of awful people doing awful things. While imaginatively staged and compellingly performed I couldn’t help feeling overwhelmed by the sheer complexity of the tale presented. There just were too many moving parts and somewhere after the mid point of the show I just stopped trying to follow the story and simply enjoyed watching Rob prance around the stage being the consummate entertainer/showman that he is.

A Fascinating, Sprinting History Lesson (Horse)

This from seeing show #4. In one sentence: through an impressively athletic narrative this Fringer gives you a lot about horse killing, a lot, in only an hour. In three sentences: if you're into watching movies, tv shows, or any other creative works with a lot of details to keep in mind, this show is for you. A handful of times I found myself trying to take a deep breath, struggling to keep up with the spliced history and asking my why I was being educated about so many people, in such detail, in such a short amount of time. I will not give anything away, but the athleticism and most song-and-dance from this Fringer is worth viewing, begging the question of "how did he just keep up with all that?" by the show's end.

How to kill a horse!

Rob took us on a rollercoaster ride in the best way possible. He can do it all and was a very convincing horse. An all-rounder. Go get your tickets!

Aging In An Age Of Change... for everyone

Scot "one T" Froelich does it again, brings important life lessons to you in a very entertaining manner. In addition to being a good human who wants to do/be better, and wants others to do/be better he is one heck of an orator. If you don't walk away from this show affected and inspired, then why are you attending Fringe? We are all constantly learning and growing and this is definitely a show that should be a part of that journey. Well done!

The True Spirit of A Fringe Show is Rob Ward

Do you want to see suspense, horror, comedy, physicality, song and dance, audience participation, and a voice over from an actors mom all while learning about horse killings in the 60s - 90s? The run, don't walk to see How to Kill A Horse. This is exactly what I want out of a fringe show. It kept everyone engaged. Rob Ward truly is a treasure to the TC Theater community.

Wow

Rob has put together an amazing show. He can do everything and do it well. The highlight of the show for me was the show jumping. Kept me laughing throughout.

Another Stellar Show from a Great Storyteller

**Review for Aging in an Age of Change** I've been lucky enough to catch many of Scot's previous Fringe performances, and this might just be the best one yet. Funny, informative, and moving, it's a beautiful rumination on aging and how we can (and should) continue to challenge ourselves and our ideas as we get older. While the subject matter may be especially geared towards men of a certain age, I still found many take aways and good reminders for myself. Like all of Scot's work, this show is thoughtful and well-crafted, but also important, and I highly recommend you make the time to go see it.

Aging in an age of change

This is important, compelling work. Impeccably staged and thoroughly researched, I assure you that you will leave both entertained and informed. I'm still processing everything I walked away with, but I wanted to get this review up fast so you don't miss your chance to see this next weekend. Put it on your list!!

Au Contraire

I mostly don't do reviews any longer --- it seems like they're all 5 stars. But our reactions to two of the three Phoenix Presents shows differ from the mainstream. First, 'Slices' has gotten no reviews, which means no one likes it. Well, we liked it a lot --- probably 4.5 kitties worth. Four darkly humorous stories, each worth seeing. Then there is the universally lauded 'Aging in an Age of Change'. This we didn't care for at all, maybe 1 star for competent delivery -- easily the worst of the 16 shows we've seen this year. The style is that of a self-help motivational speaker; the tone is patronizing. And so on. If we could have snuck out, we would have.

So much talent in one spot

How to Kill a Horse - Rob Ward's brilliant true crime thriller dark comedy is so well put together it's astonishing. From the great script to the brilliant sound design to the disturbing/funny/informative video display, the show is so well planned that it grabs the viewer from the beginning to end. But the best part of the show is Rob's energetic, passionate, angry, dynamic performance. Highly recommended. Aging in Age of Change - Scot Froelich's work is always thoughtful and thought-provoking, well researched yet deeply personal. His reflections on growth, learning, and dealing with a changing world are inspiring and moving. This show is more of a lecture than a theatre piece, but that doesn't make it any less timely or relevant. If you like to think, this is the show for you. Slices - Horror is always a difficult genre to stage, and approaching it from the standpoint of four solo artists is a brave choice. Two were memorized and two were not, and it's not surprising that the two that were delivered without scripts were the more successful scenes. But all were different moods with a variety of topics - two about parental love, one about abandonment, and one dealing with blood sacrifice. Congrats to all!

Rob is a maniac

I mean that in the nicest way, honestly. He literally puts every fiber of his existence into this show...voice, body, mental health...and that dedication is nothing short of insanely remarkable. Plus he spins a fascinating yarn too. And manages to squeeze in Tom Waits, because why not?

Stay for all three shows!

“How to Kill a Horse”: Wow, what a ride into history and dark humor! Informative, funny, and disturbing. Rob is an excellent entertainer, with a hidden talent in Dressage and Show Jumping. 5 Kitties. “Aging In an Age of Change”: Scot (with one “t”) brings a heartfelt TED Talk to the stage. I’m not in the subject demographic, but it’s a reminder that we can all be kinder and more understanding. 4.5 Kitties. “Slices”: Horror with a visceral twist! Each story had a wonderfully disturbing surprise. Cate Jackson and H Jo Raiter’s stories were especially intriguing, brought to life with great acting. 4.5 Kitties.

A dark horse

Rob Ward is extremely energetic and entertaining, but animal lovers would not approve of the subject matter. Luckily he makes that pretty clear so you know what you are getting into. This foray into historic bad boys really packs a punch, and Rob is a consummate actor, singer and movement maniac. See it if you dare!