Yes No Maybe (please explain)

Nice Story, Rushed Production

There was something of substance in the story that was being told, but the scenes throughout felt like scenes that needed to happen to keep the show long enough. Lost me throughout.

Good Concept

Some nice use of the stage (Thurst) with an intimate performance. A bit repetitive, and felt on one level for most of the performance.

What a blast ... in both senses of the word

This was a blast from the past, and we had a blast! So much to love: the look at the 90s, the connection between members of the ensemble; the acting; and the whole premise. Fringy, without being too abstract. Only complaint? The music overwhelmed the singing which made the works hard to understand (a pity, since every other part was so funny and we feel we missed some great parts). I'm sure the music balance will get better over time: highly recommended.

I'd Circle Yes!

From the pre-show video bits to the quietly sweet ending, Yes No Maybe was a joy to watch. Kristina Fjellman's love note to her 90s childhood is something to which all of us who grew up in this era can relate, the joy of the written note, which she points out is a dying art, if not dead already. The ensemble of "Ambers" aptly provide a framework for the story, and as the stage fills up with paper, it is easy to picture yourself in Fjellman's quirky imagination.

So Much Fun

What a great show. Excellent writing, original music, and use of video. Captured the nostalgia angle with incredible detail, and moves beyond the reminiscence of first love by complicating it with very personal realities. Brave. Also so much fun!

Yes!

— I loved the songs, I hope there’s a cast album — Very inventive staging — Relatable even for those of us in high school BEFORE the 90s - teenage feelings are teenage feelings no matter the medium

Nostalgic, but didn’t land for me

There are excellent elements to this show, such as the creative use of AV equipment. There are also a lot of fun references that will delight audiences, but this production would’ve been better as a short music video rather than a full-length show. I grew tired of the songs after about 10 seconds in, and found them distracting and hard to hear. I’m giving it a 4 because of the interesting take on an older concept, but the entertainment factor for me was a 3.5.

90s Nostalgia + First Love = ?

Sandbox always brings something interesting to its productions, and I was pleased that this show was funnier than I expected. If you grew up in the 90s, you’ll definitely appreciate the references and digs at how cool we thought we were (and Kristina’s DARE t-shirt). I can’t figure out what the show was missing, but it didn’t all quite come together for me. The ending seemed a bit rushed, and the story seemed like it didn’t go quite deep enough, so perhaps it was heart I was missing? Worth a shot if you have a free slot and want to reminisce.

A overwhelming attempt at 90s angst

This review is from seeing show #4. In one sentence: I wanted to be NSYNC with this nostalgic, experimental love story, but too many moving parts lead to too many missed messages (yes missed, not mixed). In three sentences: love comes in many forms, but should that happen with live orchestration, a projector with a camcorder, action figures, singing, monologues, and letters, all at once? A difficult cacophony to merge into coherency for almost any artist, though an admirable attempt at something new. The possibilities for this show’s roots are rich, but its soil must be tilled and its water refreshed to grow.

MAYBE = Go if you have the time and cash.

I enjoyed the funny use of life video with characters and performers. Music was too loud and upstaged and drowned out the spoken dialogue. Cute concept. Somewhat redundant. See if you have time and want to support blended art and various artists. Go to something else if you have limited time and cash.

Perfect(ly incomplete)

This will probably be the only review I leave pre-Fringe close, but I really wanted to take the time and congratulate the entire production team for what has been *easily* my favorite 2023 Fringe experience thus far. Risky, brave, intimate, imaginative and inspiring. A continuation of Sandbox's TC legacy. The most creative incorporation of live video into theater that I've seen in a while. The joy, enthusiasm, sense of ensemble and nostalgia was palpable. However - the show is *not* just nostalgia soup, and I'm glad we evolved past naming things about the 90s we all missed (however...no shout-out to Dunkaroos?? C'mon, y'all...). The through-line does feel incomplete, even for a devised piece (I think specifically the creative team should take another look at the beginning and 1st third of the show and how it ties into the end and the journey of the character / Kristina) and the songs can be paired down a smidge, but the moments of reflection and physical poetry are sincere, non-indulgent, and, at times - brutal. I don't want to give anything away but this is a must see for anyone dealing with grief - loss of self, loss of the images we hold of the things we care about, loss of a loved one, or loss of a time that at least *felt* simpler. I found myself choked up at multiple moments even though I had my guard up, and the sudden ending left me breathless. I do have to echo the comments about difficulty hearing. I'm noticing this fringe how awkward the acoustics are in the Rarig Thrust. I was in the front row and still simply lost multiple lines / moments. Which sucked...because almost everything else I heard connected and engaged with me deeply. I really, really hope Sandbox continues developing this piece. There is almost unlimited potential here. Work like this takes time and courage and we need more in our community. Shoutout to "Mom" and the musician - they killed it. Bravo and thank you. Amber out.

Relies on nostalgia heavily

This show had a fun multimedia concept but relied a bit too heavily on those wanting to stroll down memory lane. I would have preferred more of an actual storyline. The idea was solid but the execution lacking. That said- it takes a lot of effort to put a show together and the cast seemed to be having fun!

It's a yes from me!

I loved all the individual pieces of this show ... The use of live video and the beautiful use of those mountains of paper, specifically. I hope they come back to this one and keep developing it because I think there is a lot here and I would love to see it again.

Cute concept, little story

I loved walking in to the projection with the little toys - overall all of the use of the camera was very neat and fit the nostalgia part. But I wished there was a clearer structure. Why is the main character reading these notes? What's driving her from beat to beat? That part was unclear and I think the show could have been stronger with some more depth and purposeful choices.

Beautiful Experience

This production was filled with so much heartfelt love for the 90's, and for our teenage selves. At times onstage it felt like looking at a celebration and respect for our younger selves, and the whole cast committed to the silliness. Lots of creative staging, lots of fun (I'm biased, it made me cry). Unfortunately the volume was a little tricky - it was difficult hearing the actors at times, but I'm optimistic this issue will be resolved going forward. Go see this one! My favorite out of the shows I saw that day

Yes No Maybe Checks All the Boxes

I was struck by the similarities between this and another great show at Rarig Thrust, Dock Work—experimental, emotional, a cast of three female/non-binary performers and a backing band playing Gen X music. I think this one will stick with me more because of the more tangible, relatable messages. The show is a love letter to the 90’s, as Kristina sifts through a mountain of love letters with mischievous pieces of her conscious—all named Amber. The video camera aspect added a new layer of intimacy and nostalgia to the proceedings and they kept finding new ways to be inventive with it and serve the story—never just cool for cool’s sake (though it was cool). Joyful, lucid, and melancholic, it felt like daydreaming an episode of My So Called Life; with the jangly backing band reminding me of Juliana Hatfield (Hatfield herself guest starred on an episode of My So Called Life, playing an angel). This is a super underrated show with many charming songs, don’t miss out on its last showing.

Diving into the ocean from notes!

A very touching story about growing up and first love...