Hy on the Fringe:

2004 New York International Fringe Festival Reviews

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My favorite annual NYC cultural event is The New York International Fringe Festival. The largest multi-arts festival in North America, the Fringe offers 200 lively productions competing for your attention over the course of 2½ weeks. In 2004, the Fringe ran from August 13th through August 29th, with shows playing simultaneously in over 20 Manhattan venues and totaling more than 1200 performances.

Why do I love the Fringe? A bunch of reasons:

Thanks to the Herculean efforts of Artistic Director Elena K. Holy, Administrative Director Shelley Burch, and the other amazing Fringe staffers, the festival virtually shimmers every year with fresh artistic approaches, a vast range of individual voices and styles, incredible energy, and constant surprises.
While Fringe productions are both low-budget and inexpensive to see (the ticket price for any show is $15, and even less if you buy in bulk), the best of them are as fine and memorable as any play available at any price. And they're likely to take you to places that no show on Broadway ever will.
The Fringe is crammed with vibrant, creative, passionate, wonderful people. Some of the sharpest and loveliest folks I know—and some of my dearest friends—I met through the Fringe. Talk to people standing in line, chat with the fabulous venue directors and volunteers, engage with the hundreds of artists handing out cards to plug their shows—and try to be open to everyone. Your life will be forever enriched.

No one on staff will ever tell you this; but the truth is, if you enjoy the thrill of the hunt, there's lots of danger here. One of the most exciting aspects of the Fringe is that it positively encourages productions to take huge risks—which inevitably results in some jaw-dropping failures. While I adore the festival, make no mistake: Some of the most appallingly bad work ever formed by creatures with opposable thumbs are lurking at virtually every venue.

Regarding the last point: I still clearly remember seeing a late night show in 2003 with a composer and an actress. Although it lasted only an hour, it felt like days...and as soon as we left the theatre, the sweet actress muttered her opinion dazedly in one succinct phrase: "I wanted to kill myself." She repeated this assessment—"I wanted to kill myself"—over and over for the next two blocks, until we finally managed to calm her down.

Friends, this was the fourth worst play I saw at last year's Fringe. Yes, that's right; there were three others even more mind-wreckingly horrible.

Frankly, on some level there's a perverse thrill in seeing a show so bad that you can't believe your eyes. But more to the point, after you fall prey to one of these dark beasts, it makes you more fully appreciate the productions that are truly great—that accept the Fringe's challenge to take huge risks with brilliance, and actually succeed beyond all expectations.

This August, I saw and reviewed 66 Fringe shows, identifying which ones I felt were wonderful, or horrible, or somewhere in between. What appears below is a consolidated version of those reviews. If you want to compare my tastes with yours; find out what you missed; or just get a sense of what the Fringe is all about, please feel welcome to use my personal opinions as a rough guide.

You should know there's also a comprehensive collection of Fringe reviews available via nytheatre.com. Spearheaded by the site's founder, Martin Denton, this is an invaluable resource for learning about every single Fringe production. However, nytheatre.com employs a squad of 62 people to cover all the shows, which can make it hard to get a fix on the tastes of any one reviewer and figure out whether they jibe with your own.

If you read what follows, though, you'll quickly get a sense of my tastes, which is likely to help you in judging my comments about any particular show. (For example, if you discover that you love everything I dislike and can't stand everything I recommend, that still means I'll be providing you with helpful guidance—simply believe the opposite of everything I say...)

I assigned all reviewed shows one to four stars, using the following rating system:

**** = Transcendently Great

*** = Solid & Worth Seeing

** = Unless Your Relatives Are in the Cast, Think Twice

* = "I Wanted to Kill Myself"

That said, here's a list of the 66 Fringe shows I caught, in rough order of personal preference:

Dog Sees God: Confessions of a Teenage Blockhead ****

Harvey Finklesteins Sock Puppet Showgirls ***½

Radio :30 ***½

Armless ***½

All Good Things ***½

Dixie's Tupperware Party ***½

Host and Guest ***½

A is for Aardvark ***½

Decoding the Tablecloth ***½

The Only Thing Straight is My Jacket ***½

The First Step ***½

You'll Have Had Your Hole ***½

Geek Love ***¼

Ellen Craft: A New American Opera ***¼

Mimi Le Duck ***¼

The Bicycle Men ***

The Jammer!: A Roller Derby Love Story ***

Golden Prospects: A Los Angeles Melodrama ***

The Adams Conglomerate High School Drama Club

Presents: Tales of the 8th Grade!! ***

My Life as a Blonde ***

The Last Detail ***

Browntown ***

Question Love ***

bitches funny presents COWS GONE WILD! ***

Reconstruction ***

Die, Die, Diana: A Musical ***

The Spickner Spin ***

The Disembodied Soul ***

Valiant ***

Young, Sexy and Talented **½

The Precinct **½

Lulu **½

How to Save the World and Find True Love in 90 Minutes **½

Moonchild **½

Irish Authors Held Hostage **½

The Tragedy...of Othello... **½

Martha & Me: A Musical **½

Tens and Twenties **½

Believe in Me...A Bigfoot Musical **½

Pith! **½

Kiss and Cry **½

The Imaginary, All-True Leni Riefenstahl Show **½

An Account at First Hand... **½

A Transylvanian in Silicon Valley **½

Freddie **½

The Psychic Hour **½

The Black Swan of Trespass **½

Reddy or Not! **½

Three **

blah, blah, blah **

You've Never Done Anything Unforgivable **

Young Zombies in Love **

Sleeping With Management **

All the Help You Need: The Adventures of a Hollywood Handyman **

Jonestown, the Musical (left after 30 min.) **

Big Trouble in Little Hazzard (left after 10 min.) **

Go Robot Go **

The Chair **

Graceland (left after 45 min.) **

Immortality *½

The Life and Times of a Wonder Woman *½

The Blue Rocks *½

Vampire Cowboy Trilogy *

Angry Young Teen-Age Girl Gang *

Holiday in the Sun *

Comedeus *

Reviews of the 66 shows appear below.

Please keep in mind that, of necessity, these write-ups were created in a hurry. If you spot any factual errors, please don't hesitate to let me know by emailing hy@hyreviews.com; I'm always happy to make corrections and updates.

1. Dog Sees God: Confessions of a Teenage Blockhead—Rating: ****

Charlie Brown and the gang in high school is, quite simply, the best show of the Festival—smart, humane, and crammed with thoughtful character details and superb performances.

If this was just a fun update of one of the most important comic strips in our culture, it would be special enough. But at its core, Dog Sees God is a witty, compassionate examination of what happens to us as we get older; and it reminds us of how our characters emerge through the choices we make, and of the lies we tell until we feel ready to face our true selves.

Plays like this are what the Fringe is all about.

This show quickly sold out as word of mouth spread during the Festival. However, the producers have secured an extended run at the Soho Playhouse during September 8-19; for more information, visit www.royalmultimedia.com/dsg.htm.

If either copyright laws or the Charles M. Schulz estate permit it, I'm hoping this wonderful production can go on to enjoy a long life off-Broadway.

2. Harvey Finklesteins Sock Puppet Showgirls—Rating: ***½

Some movies are so bad, they're perversely fascinating. In the good old days—back when he was actually funny—Dennis Miller admitted to going over his videotape of Showgirls like it was the Zapruder film.

To make a play from this movie is bold.

To make a sock puppet show from it is sheer genius.

And, in fact, crowds thronged. To fit as many people as possible into the cozy Cherry Lane Studio Theatre, audience members were allowed to sit on the stage in a semi-circle. This was practical, because the puppets performed above the stage so didn't need the space—but it also created a scene reminiscent of first grade, which added to the delightful kiddie atmosphere coupled with Showgirls-style soft-core porn.

To ensure no one was confused about what to expect, a Harvey Finklestein sock puppet began the proceedings by rattling off the sort of terminology we'd soon hear: "fisting for dollars," "tea-bagging," "felching," and "the most disturbing word in the English language: moist." After we were encouraged to "grab hold of your own genitalia," the show commenced.

We were then treated to an admirably faithful compressed version of Showgirls—complete with a highly frizzy blonde Nomi Malone sock puppet who continually popped off her bra to expose her very perky foam breasts; her conniving boss ("First I get 'em used to the money, then I make 'em swallow"); and cameos from such famous actors as Lambchop and the Muppets.

There were dozens of fun moments, ranging from Nomi being called "Pollyanna Glittersnatch," to someone about to present shocking news warning her "This is going to knock your sock off," to the sock puppets periodically throwing items—including french fries, and streams of water—at the audience.

After a very high-energy start, there were some lags and painful puns—which is the only reason this show isn't getting a **** rating. That said, whenever I feel like smiling, all I have to do is recall the Nomi sock, with her golden locks bouncing, opening her mouth as widely as possible and fiercely declaring "I am a DANCER!!! I am not a WHOOOOOOOOOORE!!!!!"

Words to live by...

3. Radio :30—Rating: ***1/2

Chris Earle delivers both a brilliant script and extraordinary performance in this tale of an actor reading a 30-second radio ad over and over, making small changes each time to satisfy his client...while experiencing a moral and emotional breakdown. You'll never hear the words "Ever have one of those days?" the same way again.

Over the course of this finely layered production, we're provided with such dark observations as:

That was back in the days when I was an actor, before I turned into what I am now.
People in advertising are artists with nothing to say. No, wait, I have something to say:"'Buy this! Buy this!"
Having a kid must put it all in perspective? Not really. It just raises the stakes.
I have a certain style I'm known for warm, friendly, natural. Like I'm just talkin' to a friend. I'd rather be really good at something stupid than lousy at something important.
People don't want to hear you breathe on the radio. I hardly breathe at all—just little shallow breaths.

Radio :30 was the Festival's best one-person show (not counting Robert Smith, the fine actor who occasionally supplied lines off-stage); and one of the finest plays you'll ever see about the subtle nature of betrayal.

4. Armless—Rating: ***½

If you've never heard of Body Integrity Identity Disorder, you're not alone—at one point, a character looks at the audience knowingly and gets a big laugh by just saying, "Yes, it's a pretty rare condition."

It's also a fascinating one—and, in fact, I would've preferred a bit more exploration into the past and personality of the husband, so that we could better understand the reasons behind his wanting to lose his arms.

That said, BIID is ultimately a brilliant springboard for a play about a great deal more.

Kyle Jarrow's writing is wonderful, Ian Tresselt's direction is smart, and the four-person cast is terrific—especially Colleen Quinlan, who's extraordinary as the wife.

This is a beautiful piece of work, mixing comedy and drama to achieve a simply mounted but very memorable production. Highly recommended.

5. All Good Things—Rating: ***½

If you love great rock & roll, and especially The Remains, you just can't miss this musical. The show is crammed with song after song; and the rest of it provides smart, knowing dialogue sketching the birth and almost-rise of a terrific band. Any artist who feels perpetually on the verge of success will easily relate to this story.

There's room for some improvements—e.g., the characters could be more three-dimensional and individually compelling; the story could use greater injections of joy throughout, to make us deeply feel not just the band's frustrations but also its ecstasy of creation, performance, and receiving outpourings of love from audiences; and I would've much preferred to see The Remains interact with The Beatles on stage rather than off.

But the "songs" portion is extremely strong, thanks to the powerful songwriting work of The Remains, as well as the four wonderful performer/musicians who recreate them: Ryan Link, Anthony Rand, Clayton Fletcher, and Daniel Hall.

With appropriate revisions to its book, this musical will be ready to go directly to off-Broadway...and maybe even step up to Broadway.

6. Dixie's Tupperware Party—Rating: ***½

Imagine a bitchily charming Eddie Izzard selling Tupperware with a Southern accent, and you'll pretty much know what to expect from this very funny show.

The Tupperware pitch is for real—the razor-sharp comedic actor in drag, Kris Andersson, is the top seller in the country of what his Dixie persona sweetly refers to as "plastic crap." If you visit Andersson's Web site at www.DixieLongate.com, you'll find for sale every Tupperware item you could ever imagine existing (and then some). The strategy is simple: Make people laugh and love you—for example, by explaining how Tupperware can be used as sexual toys—and they will buy from you.

I won't go into further details, except to say that Dixie has a very quick mind and eagle eye, and is exceptionally fine at both working an audience and connecting one-on-one. Forget about the Tupperware—come to this show to watch a comic master at work.

7. Host and Guest—Rating: ***½

In the midst of a war, a Muslim huntsman encounters a Christian stranger in the woods and, in the custom of the land, offers the hospitality of his home.

Problem is, this guest turns out to be a hero soldier of the enemy—and when the neighbors find out, they're outraged this famed killer of their kin is among them. And so the question becomes, which will prevail: The thirst for vengeance, or the solemn promise made by the host: "Guests will be the last to die."

This darkly moody production is a charged combination of stirring music, highly synchronized movement (with tall staffs), carefully composed images, and pointed dialogue (e.g., Wife, after crying for a fallen enemy: "I'm afraid of my neighbors, and of God's anger." Husband: "For a woman to mourn or a brave man has always been good and proper.").

There's no singing here; but if you enjoy a classic operatic approach to drama, see Host and Guest, which has made Fringe history—its most recent show sold out the 500-seat Michael Schimmel Center, making it the highest-selling single performance in the eight years of the Festival.

8. A is for Aardvark—Rating: ***½

What constitutes a cage? And which cage do you prefer to live in?

These are the questions raised by A is for Aardvark, a comedy-drama written with great sensitivity and wit by Jess Lacher, and performed by a terrific cast—most notably the "Aardvark" herself, Laura Grey, who offers us a child's spontaneity, a dancer's grace, and top-notch comedic instincts.

The woman sitting next to me burst into tears at the end. That's a rare achievement for any play, let alone one that spends most of its time making us laugh.

9. Decoding the Tablecloth—Rating: ***½

Gabriela Kohen, the writer-performer of this one-woman show, conjures more than a variety of characters; in layered strokes, she paints a portrait of her Brooklyn childhood and the key figures who inhabited it.

According to the program pamphlet, "Gabriela's grandmother, Leike, left Poland for Argentina in 1938 (at) 24 years old. All of her remaining family in the Polish village of Kobryn were murdered by the Nazis...Gabriela's family lived with Leike in Brooklyn for several years."

Kohen performs her grandmother Leike with heartrending perfection, offering nuances full of meaning to those who know Holocaust survivors—the enormous nonjudgmental love of children, the fear of outsiders, the importance placed on holding the family together above all else. In one vignette, Leike looks out her apartment's window and says, "Gabyleh, you can play from this line to this line, so I can watch you...in case something happens." In another, we're told "The tears would drip down her face, and she would iron them right into the sheets."

Kohen's world also included many others—her mother, her father, her aunts, the neighborhood tough kids...even herself as a child, clutching at a "Josie and the Pussycats" lunchbox. Kohen flows into each character with ease and grace. She indicates every persona with a small prop—a cap for one, a green jacket for another—but they're actually unnecessary, due to how completely she transforms via her skilled use of accents, facial expressions, hand movements, and body language.

We don't get the Disney versions, either—for example, we learn Kohen used to be beaten by her father, and then her schoolmates. And that she learned to take it and take it, vowing that no matter how much she was hurt, she'd never cry.

But then her grandmother dies—and when Kohen tries to play a recording of Leike talking to her, the tape suddenly breaks. Kohen finally bursts into tears, wailing "How will I remember my grandmother now?"

She's clearly found a wonderful way to do so; and for all of us to remember Leike as well.

10. The Only Thing Straight is My Jacket—Rating: ***½

This show begins with a white-clad female doctor warning us to turn our cell phones off because if her inmates are surprised by a sudden sound, "there's no telling what might happen."

We're then provided with two patients from her sanatorium to entertain us. The first is a deformed pianist (played hilariously by Andrew Edwards), who provides the musical accompaniment.

But the clear star of the show is Micah Bucey, brought out Hannibal Lecter-style in straightjacket and heavy restraints...who proceeds to explain he is an immortal gay singer, and all those great musical numbers crafted by such gay composers as Cole Porter, Jerry Herman, and Stephen Sondheim were actually written for him. The fact he was able to sing each song only once before it was snatched away by "some talentless busty fem-nugget" is what led to his current unfortunate state of madness.

It's difficult to effectively play a lunatic for laughs; and it's also hard to sing complex musical numbers in a compelling way. That Bucey manages to pull off both feats simultaneously is a small miracle—and results in one of the very best performances of the Festival.

Writer Paul Hagen contributes a great deal as well, providing shockingly bitchy comments for Micah to throw at us between songs. For example, regarding the Broadway actress who played the self-obsessed Maureen in Rent and now the witch in Wicked: "If Idina Menzel's career proves anything, it's that typecasting is alive and well in American theatre." References to other actresses who "stole" his songs range from "that tart with a boob job and an attitude problem" to "her voice sounds like gravel going backward in an industrial vacuum."

Adding to the fun is our sense that, at any moment, Micah might explode—and we could get caught in the blast. In fact, Bucey periodically interacts with the audience, at one point serenading some clearly straight man with a torrid love song, and at another semi-strangling a woman in the front row. (During a chat later, Micah informed me that while there are no audience plants, the woman he attacks is always someone he's at least spoken to briefly before the show begins.)

This is a unique and marvelous production. It's going to be running post-Fringe at the West End Theatre on September 13-15 (click here for details); and, with any luck, will go on to enjoy a healthy—albeit mentally unbalanced—life after that.

11. The First Step—Rating: ***½

"Sex addict joke: Two sex addicts are on their second date.

That's the joke."

And that's the subject of this self-described "addictive comedy" centered around a gay man who was sexually abused by his dad as a child and now compulsively seeks sex as an adult. While the subject matter is dark, its handling its extremely funny, thanks to a witty, tightly-constructed script by the pseudonymous Henry Covery ("he-n-rycovery"); crisp direction from Michael Leeds that always keeps things lively; and sharp performances from a uniformly excellent five-person cast, with Jeff Meacham (as the lead) and Ali Anderson (playing all the female roles) as standouts.

The show's topics range from the religious significance of men's bathrooms ("it's communal, yet private...you grab your rosary and genuflect"), to popular Net screen names men use to hook up (involving combinations of such words as hot, mammoth, and rod), to the dull job you should mention to cut conversation short following sex ("I'm in banking").

In a nutshell, this comedy is a winner. When it launches post-Fringe, catch it; you may never perceive a public rest room the same way again...

12. You'll Have Had Your Hole—Rating: ***½

This U.S. premiere was written by Irvine Welsh, author of the cult novel Trainspotting. It's set in Edinburgh, Scotland, where two small-time gangsters decide to kidnap and torture a fellow criminal (Zack Calhoon).

As you might guess, this is a rather dark play; but Welsh charges it with humor and energy via smart, crackling dialogue. Boosting the edge-of-your-seat atmosphere are the terrific performances of the two thug leads, Ian Pfister and Mac Brydon. They're especially effective in the early portion of the play, jumping about with evil glee while contemplating the different ways they can make their victim's every moment a living hell.

Also noteworthy is the breathtakingly beautiful Thea McCartan, who amidst all the flying testosterone offers a subtle, nuanced performance of a woman closing her heart to one man and opening it to another—and makes you believe that the same guy who's getting his kicks torturing a colleague could, within a few days, fall for this low-rent princess who wants nothing more than a good, reliable man to love.

Kudos additionally go to director Francis Kuzler, who made a number of intelligent choices—including bringing in a dialect coach to give each of these U.S.-based actors superb Scottish accents; and flipping the theatre space, so that the performance takes place where the audience would normally sit, and the audience ends up watching from the space usually reserved for the stage.

On the down side, while the play starts out very strong, its energy level recedes as time goes on; the motivations of the characters are rather muddled; and, while this may sound like an odd criticism, the torture scenes aren't nearly shocking enough (I've seen worse on virtually any episode of Oz...). Also, the ending is as pat and predictable as an episode of Alfred Hitchcock Presents.

Still, this production gets so many things right, and is so strong for its first two-thirds, that it's well worth seeing. These are performances you're likely to remember for a long time.

13. Geek Love—Rating: ***¼

Adapting Katherine Dunn's brilliant 1983 novel, consisting of 350 pages packed with rich language, inventive situations and explosive family drama, has stumped such luminaries as Tim Burton and Steven Spielberg. To attempt to tackle this saga as a play merits kudos for ambition alone.

But overall, this production manages to pull it off, providing both haunting images and astonishing dialogue.

Here's a condensed version of the opening scene with the father, Al Binewski (played perfectly by Tim Cordier) and his unusual children—the Siamese twins, the telekinetic Chick, the seal-like Arturo (acted with delicious menace by Jeffrey Zwartjes), and Olympia, the bald albino hunchbacked dwarf (portrayed unforgettably by Anessa Ramsey):

Children: Tell about the time when Mama was the geek!

Papa: Wellll, it was a long time ago...

Children: Before we were born!

Papa: Before I even dreamed you, my dreamlets!

Well, she fluttered around like a dainty bird;

and when she caught those ugly squawking hens,

you couldn't believe she'd actually do anything.

When she went right ahead and geeked 'em,

that whole larruping crowd went bonzo wild.

There was never such a snap and twist of the

wrist, such a vampire flick of the jaws over

a neck, or such a champagne approach to the

blood. She'd shake her star-white hair, and

the bitten-off chicken head would skew off

into the corner while she dug her rosy little

fingernails in and lifted the flopping, jittering

carcass like a golden goblet, and sipped!

Absolutely sipped at the wriggling guts!

She was magnificent, a princess, a Cleopatra,

an elfin queen!

When your mama was the geek, my dreamlets,

she made the nipping off of noggins such a

crystal mystery that the hens themselves yearned

towards her, waltzing around her, hypnotized

with longing. "Spread your lips, sweet Lil',"

they'd cluck, "and show us your choppers!

Friends, that's pure magic. It just doesn't get any better.

On the down side, this production is still in its initial stages and finding its way. For example, it's three hours long...yet feels emotionally incomplete. Part of the problem is that the adapters, Aileen Loy & Mike Katinsky, strive mightily to be faithful to the novel. This is admirable, and we get to see many of Dunn's scenes beautifully rendered; but there are also sacrifices in terms of dramatic focus and character development which I suspect is due to a reluctance to deviate from a classic book. Ultimately, the script needs some serious revisions to create a lead character and a dramatic focus that work well for a stage production...and that draws in all audiences, not just Dunn fans.

That said, this is among the most magical and memorable shows I saw at the Festival. It's still raw, but I hope it receives financial support to be further developed and run off-Broadway—or even tour the country, just like a carny show. Either way, it deserves a wide audience.

14. Ellen Craft: A New American Opera—Rating: ***¼

Musically, this show was nothing less than a sensual pleasure. From the unusual "orchestra" consisting of a piano and a bongo drum, to the more than a dozen uniformly superb operatic singers, one could just sit and happily bask in the music for the entire two-hour performance.

Unfortunately, the writing wasn't at the same level. Based on a true story about a female slave who escapes dressed as a white man, the narrative moved at a snail's pace—e.g., Ellen didn't even begin to attempt her escape until the musical was half over. And the character development and lyrics weren't especially sharp, either.

But the music was so damn gorgeous, it almost didn't matter.

I strongly suspect this show will surface again post-Fringe. If you love music, keep an ear out for it.

15. Mimi Le Duck—Rating: ***¼

A mom in Idaho who creates duck paintings for sale on QVC is suddenly visited by the ghost of Ernest Hemingway, who urges her to flee to Paris and pursue a bohemian artist's lifestyle. This doesn't sit well with her husband and neighbors, who carefully explain, "When things don't go well/We mustn't ask God why/Our job is to work hard, suffer and die./Work, suffer, and die!.../A thousand hands will help you on your way!"

Unpersuaded, Miriam takes off for France, changes her name to Mimi...and then all sorts of wild things happen.

This delightful musical has the best cast of actor-singers in the Festival; some are Tony Award-calibre.

And so are the writing and songs in Act I, which is fabulous.

Unfortunately, Act II is an mess. For example, Mimi is allowed to say absolutely nothing in it for the first 30 minutes! (What in the world were they thinking??)

In a nutshell, Act II needs to be rewritten from scratch. But if this happens, and Mimi Le Duck finds its focus, it'll be a strong candidate for Broadway.

16. The Bicycle Men—Rating: ***

Self-described as "an entertainment with French overtones," this show by a sharp comedy troupe (Mark Nutter, Dave Lewman, Joe Liss, and John Rubano) will delight anyone who enjoys silly accents and even sillier songs. For example, when supplying a lullaby to a baby (portrayed by an unsettlingly cute doll), the main character sings "You can pray but no one will hear/God is the product of ignorance and fear/It's best that you know." He continues by advising the babe on topics ranging from love to the after-life to pets: "And our pets don't care what we feel/Starve them and presto! They'll eat you for a meal/It's best that you know..."

The whole show's filled with whacky characters and situations. However, there's no actual story, and not all of the myriad of gags tossed at the audience are equally funny, so the energy level goes up and down depending on the quality of the material being trotted out. I found myself wishing for a few less trips to the "down" side during laugh lags; but the production is nonetheless much fun overall, and worth catching.

As for what you'll garner from it all, the main character expresses it best: "Such a lesson I've learned today/What it is, I cannot say/Thanks for coming, now go away."

17. The Jammer!: A Roller Derby Love Story—Rating: ***

You've gotta come into this knowing that the story is dumb.

I mean, it's supposed to be somewhat dumb; it's a parody of one of stupidest sub-genres ever created—roller derby sports tales. (If you have any doubts on this, just try watching the 2002 movie remake of Rollerball; or, better yet, the 1972 Raquel Welch epic Kansas City Bomber.)

But even the actual parody written for this play ends up being dopey. I was hoping for more wit, clever twists, and surprises than the playwright actually delivers.

Then why recommend this? Because director Greg Felden and Choreographer Tim Acito do a brilliant job of extracting every molecule of laughter possible from almost every scene.

And they are aided and abetted by a very sharp cast—particularly the leads Kevin Rich and Jeanine Serralles, who deliver some of the most hilarious comedic performances you're likely to see anywhere this year. These two are worth the price of admission just by themselves.

So, it's not exactly a Noel Coward wit-fest; but if you like to laugh, and don't mind lots of shouting, shoving, and vomiting, go and have a blast with the cast of this absurdly raucous play.

18. Golden Prospects: A Los Angeles Melodrama—Rating: ***

What happens when you take melodrama, which is by definition over the top, and push it even more over the top?

You get this hilarious play, which alternates between touching our hearts and doubling us over with laughter.

The show begins with an admonition from writer-director Colin Campbell to "Please, no matter what happens, stay in your seats! You may hiss and cheer as much as you like, but please—do not leap onto the stage!!"

Taking the cue, my audience proceeded to critique each moral decision presented to the characters—and there were many—with very enthusiastic "boos!" and "yays!", raising the energy level of the room considerably. (If only real life worked this way...)

When I was a child, one of my favorite books was Fortunately/Unfortunately, about a character who gets in and out of bad situations. This manic-depressive tale is much the same, turning one of its cheeriest initial lines—"Ah! Life is so full of surprises!"—into a very, very dark comment about the human condition.

It would take pages to describe all the twists and turns; but to give you a taste, a thoroughly optimistic family arriving in 1901 Los Angeles with bags of money soon loses the father to a swindler and a heart attack; the son to an orphanage run by a corrupt nun; and, many years later, very nearly loses the daughter to a seedy life, as she offers herself to a man for a dollar while exclaiming "Virtue's cheap on the corner of Hollywood and Vine"—and that man, unbeknownst to both of them, is her brother...

Meanwhile, the mother periodically loses an eye or a limb in a series of "unfortunate accidents." (Near the end, she must apologetically explain to someone she meets, "I would get up to shake hands, but I can't get up and have no hand...")

The cast and direction are uniformly superb; even the piano music accompaniment is perfect.

What more do you need to know? Simply count your blessings; and keep an (intact) eye out for this marvelous show, which I hope enjoys golden prospects post-Fringe.

19. The Adams Conglomerate High School Drama Club Presents: Tales of the 8th Grade!!—Rating: ***

Try to dream up every cliche that might apply to 14-year-old girls in 1987. Then open your eyes and see your visions come to life in this sly, adorable, and often hilarious play. From the kitschy clothing to the exaggerated dance movements to the deadpan, stilted dialogue, it eventually hits all our buttons.

The biggest problem is that after about 30 minutes, the production runs out of juicy material and starts repeating itself, so that it ends up feeling a bit like a one-joke show. However, the four lead actresses—Lauren Ludwig, Diane Mair, Haley Powell, and Martha Marion—are all fabulously energetic and demonstrate keen comic timing.

If considerably more work was done on the material, this has the potential of being another Debbie Does Dallas: The Musical. But even as is, it's a treat, and well worth seeing.

20. My Life as a Blonde—Rating: ***

The title makes this sound like a cute bit of fluff.

In fact, it's a heartfelt, and heart-wrenching, account of a woman's struggles with identity as the daughter of an alcoholic mom who was a porn star.

In this production written and performed by Ilana Manaster—as "Gina Lombardi"—Manaster doesn't just act the various characters in her story, she virtually transforms into them. When playing, say, one of her mother's old boyfriends, or the sleazy club manager employing women as lap dancers, the transition from her own persona to these men who hurt her is so smooth and complete it's almost eerie.

But by far the most unsettling moments are when Manaster/Gina puts on a blonde wig and plays her alcoholic mother—something that occurs frequently throughout the play.

A lot of one-woman shows come off as self-indulgent public therapy. There are some small elements of that here as well; but there's also such raw honesty that you can't help but

be deeply moved, as well as gripped as you wonder what'll happen next.

In fact, my only criticism concerns the latter—when the lights came up, I wasn't ready to leave. Manaster gives us an ending that works more structurally than emotionally, because it doesn't actually resolve things or show us what, if anything, either Gina or Manaster has learned.

Then again—whether intended or not—maybe that's the point.

If you want to experience something with heart and bite, see this show.

21. The Last Detail—Rating: ***

If this was a thoroughly original show, it'd be an event.

However, Darryl Ponicsan's novel The Last Detail was published in 1971; and Hal Ashby's classic film, scripted by Robert Towne and starring Jack Nicholson and Randy Quaid, was released in 1973.

War, stupidity and corruption haven't gone away, so the story is still very relevant to us today; but I would've appreciated a fresh approach to make the material electrifying. Instead, the twist selected to spice up this darkly comedic tale was to add show tunes. That makes about as much sense as Don Corleone and Sonny periodically bursting into song in a stage version of The Godfather. (Actually, come to think of it, less sense; the latter might have potential...)

Nonetheless, the material remains powerful; and everyone in the cast is excellent, including Mason Pettit as Billy Bad-Ass Buddusky, Kevin Mambo as "Mule Mulhall, and Julie Dingman as Billy's ex-wife.

22. Browntown—Rating: ***

There's been a lot of debate during the past few years about racial profiling; but it's a practice long followed by Hollywood, which continually tries to raise stereotyping and typecasting to forms of art.

That's the subject tackled by this laid-back comedy by writer-costar Sam Younis, which takes place in a waiting room and an audition room, as three ethnic actors compete for the opportunity to portray an Arab terrorist in a cheesy movie.

This play won't tell you anything you don't already know; but its strong cast and gentle humor make for a winning combination.

23. Question Love—Rating: ***

Any production that's lucky enough to have actress Susan O'Connor (a Fringe icon) is mandatory viewing just for the enormous pleasure and privilege of seeing Susan O'Connor.

But this show also has some memorable thoughts to offer on how we perceive love, sex, and union. For example: "Some believe people are semi-circles, and when they form a couple they become a circle; but I don't like that idea, because then all they can do is revolve around each other. I like to think each person is a full circle, complete unto himself or herself; and when two such circles come together, they form an infinity symbol."

The other two actresses in the cast, Kathleen Early and Sharahn LaRue, are also sharp and talented.

In addition, the show includes a singer, Kat Goldman, who is perfectly fine at what she does but ends up interrupting the flow and dramatic tension of the narratives with her music. In my opinion, director Hayley Finn would do better to trust in the power of the spoken word, and focus on inserting a greater number of tight, compelling anecdotes. But even as is, this is a production you're likely to enjoy.

24. bitches funny presents COWS GONE WILD!—Rating: ***

Sexy moves, a rockin' soundtrack, and smart comedy always make for a winning combination. And that's exactly what's supplied by bitches funny, a talented all-female sketch comedy troupe based in New York (an off-shoot of the original troupe founded in 1999 in Los Angeles). This East Coast version consists of writer-performers Michelle Haun, Kerry Logston, Eileen O'Connell, Mel Salvatore, and Elizabeth Van Meter; and the show was directed by Haun and Salvatore.

Don't expect anything deep; highlights include a self-described "gratuitous lesbian sex scene;" a heated battle between two women in cow costumes featuring prominent udders; a version of the show for the hearing impaired that offers not just sign language but a Marlee Matlin-like spoken version of the dialogue; and this ditty:

We're so f*ckin' smart

We'll make you laugh until you fart

And we'll call it art.

It may not be art; but if you're looking to have a good time laughing, you won't go wrong here.

25. Reconstruction—Rating: ***

Almost all of this play takes place in bed, as a couple tries to resurrect their sex life following the wife's undergoing a mastectomy of her left breast.

There are some strong statements made, including, "A marriage without passionate sex is not a marriage, just a partnership;" and "F*cking is the bedrock of our marriage. It has to be there, or we're not us."

Whether you agree with these comments or not, this is a heartfelt production; and it raises questions worth asking.

26. Die, Die, Diana: A Musical—Rating: ***

Jack Halpin is one of the great treasures of the Fringe. In previous years, he delivered spectacular performances in Last Call and Muse of Fire; and he's also terrific in this show, pulling off the role of a British journalist so neatly that I didn't even recognize him.

But this tale of Princess Diana's last days also offers other charms, including her emotionally scarred son's debates with a hand puppet; Queen Elizabeth wanting to do a vodka ad called "Absolut Monarch;" the Queen Mother explaining that "everyone who goes to the theatre is homosexual, or has homosexual tendencies;" Prince Charles saying "I want to ask you something from the silliest possible position," and then standing on one hand semi-naked in an S&M outfit; and Diana singing such heartbreakers as "I know that he will leave me, they always do/It's just a quick canoodle, then toodle-oo."

The comedy isn't consistent, nor is the dramatic tension; and you won't learn any great life lessons other than "Never go 100 miles an hour without your seat belt on." But there's much inventiveness and talent in this production, and they periodically generate memorable moments that make this show worth catching.

27. The Spickner Spin—Rating: ***

Oy. What a complicated mix this musical is.

Technically, most of the elements are excellent—fine music (via a 10-person orchestra), witty lyrics, clever dialogue, solid cast, and smart direction.

But...what were they thinking in doing an old-fashioned, light-hearted musical about con artist politics (picture The Music Man as a spin doctor) mere months away from the most contentious, polarized, and darkly serious national election this nation has experienced since Vietnam? (Not to mention mere weeks away from our being invaded by the Republican Convention...)

Had this play been a parable for what's happening in the real world, it would've been timely and trenchant. But its coverage of both politics and the people who run it is a very surface one. (The closest it comes to hitting paydirt is via a deliciously nasty song at the top of Act II titled "Dirty Job.")

Characterization is also a problem. We're supposed to be fascinated by the main character, Stephen Spickner, but the play actually gives us little reason to care about him or like him.

Further, Spickner's romantic interest seems so far apart from him in age, personality, and emotional wavelength that the relationship has little chemistry or credibility.

In a nutshell, there are problems with the heart and soul of this play.

That said, this is a highly polished production, and a great deal of energy, talent and intelligence has been poured into it. If you love musicals as an art form—apart from such considerations as what's actually happening in the world—there's much to appreciate here.

28. The Disembodied Soul—Rating: ***

A refreshing exception to this year's slew of Urinetown wannabes, this musical is actually a 14th century Chinese opera (by Cheng The-hui) translated into English by Liu Jung-en and set to music by Joemca.

The show shrewdly transports you to a different place as soon as you enter the room, via soothing bells and other soft sounds, and the cast sitting serene and barefoot at the back of the stage.

The story is both a simple and unsettling one: A woman must allow her fiance to go off to advance his career, but her attachment to him is so strong that her soul breaks off and follows him.

All the performer/singers are fine, and the most appropriate word to describe the overall production is "lovely."

If you like opera, or romance, this is a good bet.

29. Valiant—Rating: ***

Any dead-honest remembrance of war is worth hearing; and the tales presented in Valiant, excerpted from numerous interviews conducted over five years, are from the heart. My main problem with this show is the author's contention that she's providing a unique perspective on war by interviewing only women. These aren't women's stories; they're human stories.

Also, the basic message conveyed is that war causes suffering. As long as countries continue throwing weapons and lives at each other, we can't hear this too many times; but no alternatives to war are explored.

Valiant has much to offer, and is recommended; but it could benefit from some additional thought and focus.

30. Young, Sexy and Talented—Rating: **½

This show begins appropriately with a Noel Coward song:

Don't put your daughter on the stage, Mrs. Worthington;

Don't put your daughter on the stage.

She's a bit of an ugly duckling

You must honestly confess,

And the width of her seat would surely defeat

Her chances of success.

It's a loud voice, and tho' it's not exactly flat

She'll need a little more than that

To earn a living wage.

On my knees, Mrs. Worthington;

Please, Mrs. Worthington,

Don't put your daughter on the stage.

But despite this wise advice, the seven aspiring stars in this comedy hand over "$116,000 and your quickly disappearing youth" to enroll in an acting school whose ineptness is matched only by their own lack of talent. (Regarding the school's high standards, we're told that 87% of the applicants were accepted; and of those, 7% were able to pay the tuition.)

There's a wealth of things to make fun of in the field of acting, and this show touches on a number of them. For example, when a character strikes a tambourine off-stage, his instructor comments, "Josh, that was pensive. I need plaintive, yet plangent."

Unfortunately, writer-director Richard Cavan too often drives in the middle of the road here, rather than push the comedy over the top (which the material often cried for) or use the comedy as a springboard for some deeper meaning (for which an attempt is made at the end, but in a painfully shallow way that simply leaves a false note ringing in our ears).

That said, the actors playing the bad actors are quite good at it (um, I mean that as a compliment...), with Cat Yezbak, Derek Manson, Jen Schulte, and Rachel Burttram especially appealing; and the overall production provides a good time.

31. The Precinct—Rating: **½

The New York-based comedy troupe Elephant Larry—consisting of Geoff Haggerty, Stefan Lawrence, Chris Principe, Jeff Solomon, and Alexander Zalben—put together what they call a "sketch-play," in which they all portray the same characters in a police precinct, but for a dozen different sketches that have little in common with each other...and yet occasionally reference the same events.

It's an interesting experiment; but for it to succeed, I feel the sketches would need to pack much more of a comedic wallop than they currently do. As is, the production loses more than it gains by not having scenes build upon each other the way they would in a tightly-constructed play.

The individual sketches are fun, though; and considering how challenging comedy is, that's saying a lot.

32. Lulu—Rating: **½

What an odd, odd musical.

The title character is a woman so captivating that men—and occasionally women—would do anything in the name of love for her...including kill themselves.

Based on this unsettling premise, the body count rises and rises over the course of the story. This might be fun were it played for laughs; but no, it's handled with dead earnestness.

What makes the show worthwhile is Brooke Sunny Moriber, the actress who portrays Lulu (and previously performed in such Broadway musicals as Les Miserables, The Wild Party, and Follies). The role is obviously a challenging one—playing someone who can make guys blow their brains out with a wiggle of the hips is no small feat. But Moriber somehow pulls it off.

I'm not sure what it is that makes her performance work. All I can tell you is that when Moriber is off-stage, the production seems dull and listless; and when she reappears, it's hard to not keep your eyes glued on her.

Therefore, I can't recommend this strange ode to Louise Brooks (whose most famous role was Lulu in the 1929 film Pandoras Box) as a show onto itself. But I recommend seeing Brooke Sunny Moriber in anything.

33. How to Save the World and Find True Love in 90 Minutes—Rating: **½

The story is jaw-droppingly dumb...even for a light musical.

However, the music and lyrics are lively, and the two female leads—Anika Larsen and Nicole Ruth Snelson—are terrific.

The song in which Snelson strips down, emotionally and physically, is a standout. If you want one reason to catch the show, this number is it.

34. Moonchild—Rating: **½

L. Ron Hubbard is a fascinating character. He started out as a mediocre science fiction writer, but hit the big time when he decided to create his own religion: Scientology. Moonchild speculates on how such a transition could have happened...and about the involvement of another major figure of the period, occultist Aleister Crowley.

The play is often fun, and provides some intriguing ideas. But on the down side, the characters are relatively flat; there should've been a deeper exploration of both Hubbard's and Crowley's respective philosophies; and at two hours, the show is at least 30 minutes overlong.

That said, if you're interested in Hubbard; or in seeing character actor David Jones serve up a deliciously memorable portrayal of Aleister Crowley; or simply in exploring how easy it can be to con mass numbers of people, Moonchild is worth checking out.

35. Irish Authors Held Hostage—Rating: **½

In an era when terrorist hostage-taking is a continual news item, it takes guts to be playful about this dark reality and speculate with humor on how various famous authors—most of them Irish—would deal with the situation.

For example, when his captives thrust him roughly towards a chair, Oscar Wilde's only complaint is, "I can't sit in that." He then continues, "I don't care what you do to me, as long as it's beautiful."

In contrast, James Joyce escapes by talking until his captor falls asleep from boredom.

Then again, George Bernard Shaw embraces his kidnapper's cause and virtually forces the man to shoot him as a statement against the upper classes.

And Samuel Beckett is screamed at by Godot, who explains over and over, "You are not tied to the chair! You are not a hostage! Get out! People are waiting for me!!"

That last bit is hilarious; and it's a fun concept overall. The cast is also solid, with Lori Boyd a standout.

After a while, however, the joke wears thin; and by the time the number of authors hits double digits, I began to feel a bit imprisoned myself.

I was also hoping for a strong ending that somehow tied everything together, or at least offered some thoughtful comment about the practice of taking hostages—or even writing books. But the show just sorta runs out of steam.

If you have patience and are willing to sit through numerous less-than-great gags, though, you'll be rewarded with some memorable moments.

36. The Tragedy (spelled with an IE on the end) of Othello, the Moor of Venice; attributed to William Shakespeare, the Bard of Avon; A summary on cassette tape; A students' guide—Rating: **½

A man with a fake, incredibly long black handlebar mustache comes on stage with a searchlight in his crotch. He turns on a recording of someone reading excerpts from Shakespeare's Othello and proceeds to vaguely act out the scenes—mostly using naked baby dolls, a Mr. T bobblehead for Iago, and a Barbie doll for Desdemona.

And then the show starts to get silly.

For example, the Shakespeare reader on the recording begins making sporadic odd remarks such as, "Let's take a break here, these vodka gimlets go right through me."

There's also a portion of the show called "Sing Along with Desdemona" featuring pom-poms, streamers, and a balloon that gets tossed around the audience.

And, inevitably, there are references to the manipulative Iago as a "puppet master."

This is more than enough information. Those of you who'd enjoy this, you know who you are.

37. Martha & Me: A Musical—Rating: **½

Good music, generally witty lyrics, and a fine cast of singers make this enjoyable for those who love the "song" portion of musicals.

However, the mom obsessed with Martha-like homemaking perfection makes this a one-joke show that quickly wears thin. Yes, Oscar Madison is more loveable than Felix Unger; but is there anyone who doesn't already know that? As a result, this production really has nothing to tell us. Still, the appealing cast and tunes offer a pleasant way to while away a couple of hours.

38. Tens and Twenties—Rating: **½

In the future, you'll be offered a lifetime of freedom from jobs if you commit to working in a box, without ever leaving, for a period of either 10 or 20 years.

Writer-director Gregory Hardigan got this idea when he was temping for a man who slept in his office for three days straight. The man then promised his family a trip over the weekend...but ended up having them come over to his office. He never did make it out of there.

It's a solid story concept, backed up by the talented two-person cast of Cora Vander Broek and Kurt Ehrmann. But I've gotta admit to seeing the ending several miles away.

I'll just add that if you like the notion of this play, you might want to check out a science fiction tale that tackles it from a different direction by locating Keith Laumer's 1970 short story "In the Queue." It's published in several anthology collections, including Nebula Award Stories Six.

39. Believe in Me...A Bigfoot Musical—Rating: **½

What an incredible disappointment.

This show had some of the best pre-opening buzz of the Festival; but it's riddled with problems.

To give you just a taste, the story takes place in 1980, and is about a woman who almost died from using an IUD contraceptive device. She wants to make a documentary warning other women about IUDs—but apparently everyone in the media business is vapidly evil, and so they persuade her to accept money to instead make a film about Bigfoot. What the thematic connection between IUDs and Bigfoot is, I have no idea; but this plot development takes up the first 30 minutes.

The lead then putters around Bigfoot country until someone actually claims to have sighted the creature. This takes another 30 minutes.

After a 15-minute intermission, everyone sings a song about the Bigfoot sighting. Some time goes by...and then they sing another song about the sighting.

Do we ever get to see Bigfoot? Take a wild guess.

Do we care about anything that happens by then anyway? Take another wild guess.

I was so flummoxed by the gap between my expectations and what I actually experienced that I spoke to several people about this show. What I learned is that two of them walked out during intermission; but someone else enjoyed the whole thing because he felt the music was excellent. So if you're more interested in music than story, you might find merit here.

40. Pith!—Rating: **½

The cover of the program pamphlet shows the performers wearing pith helmets, conjuring an air of rugged adventure; and that's appropriate for this play.

But the dictionary definition of "pith" also applies: "The most central and material part; the heart of the matter."

This very spare production has no special effects or fancy sets, and only three actors. And yet it manages to cram in a virtual mob of characters, and take us from churches and sedate homes to rapids and wild jungles.

The adventures are created almost exclusively through dialogue; and through the tour-de-force performance of the male lead, Jeff Haslam, who in one moment is an FBI agent out of Twin Peaks, in another is a Feng Shui specialist talking like William Shatner, and in another is a wildly babbling pygmy (with his shirt drawn over his head to instantly reduce his height by three feet).

The play is a great showcase for Haslam's talents, and a vivid demonstration of the power of spoken words to tickle our imagination.

However, for my tastes, it was more gimmicky than gripping. I never cared much about the characters, or the story; the dramatic tension primarily consisted of "what whacky character is Haslam going to transform into next?"

But if you like watching a skilled performer undergoing a version of "acting Olympics," you'll enjoy this show.

41. Kiss and Cry—Rating: **½

A tale about a movie starlet who's a lesbian and a male skating champion who's gay agreeing to date in order to "beard" each other isn't exactly shocking, or even especially interesting, in 2004.

When that story runs 2½ hours, but could be told much more effectively in 80 minutes, it's hard to recommend it. And, as a result, I'm not.

In fact, I don't even approve of the ending, which instead of a measured and thoughtful payoff is basically an adolescent message of "f*uck you, world."

What is worthwhile about this play, however, is its consistently appealing cast—particularly the lead playing the movie star.

In addition, there are scattered good scenes throughout—for example, when a character provides this advice about performing: "Acting isn't putting on a disguise; it's stripping away the layers that cover your soul."

The cast and sporadic solid scenes make this a pleasant way to spend some time—as long as you don't mind watching a story move forward with the speed of a glacier.

42. The Imaginary, All-True Leni Riefenstahl Show—Rating: **½

Sigh.

I assumed that a show dealing with a woman best known for being a pal of Adolf Hitler and making Triumph of the Will, a film leveraged to the hilt by the Nazis for their propaganda machine, would strive to provide a thoughtful and probing exploration of Leni Riefenstahl's life.

Instead, to my astonishment, writer-performer Jen Ryan has created a production that seems primarily designed to make us feel Riefenstahl was a swell gal who was just misunderstood.

Among the positives Ryan mentions regarding Riefenstahl are that she was an undeniably talented filmmaker; a wild modern dancer in her younger years; dated lots of prominent men; used to climb mountains in her bare feet; learned to scuba dive when she was 72; and ended up with a man about 40 years her senior, until she died at age 101.

It's understandable that all these qualities might come across as very cool for someone seeking a female role model. But they merely demonstrate that Riefenstahl was a driven woman who strived to live life fully. They don't in any way indicate the presence of a moral compass...or even kindness.

In fact, while the show covers a number of interesting details and anecdotes about Riefenstahl, it inexplicably never delves deeply into her motives for working for Hitler. Was Riefenstahl seeking fame? Fortune? Power? To reach the pinnacle of her talent at any cost?

And did Riefenstahl believe in what Hitler was doing? Or did she simply desire to end up on what she expected to be the winning side?

Ryan is a talented, spirited, and highly likeable performer. But she ultimately doesn't seem to understand the gravity of the material with which she's dealing. For example, at the end of the performance I attended on August 22nd, Ryan wore a "Happy Birthday, Leni" T-shirt; and after the show, she actually threw a private party in honor of Riefenstahl, complete with a "Happy Birthday, Leni" song and cake.

Ryan argues that Riefenstahl should be held blameless because "she never joined the Nazi party," and "she never held a gun and shot anyone."

But the anecdote that drew the most applause in the show was when Ryan mentions that Riefenstahl was actually Hitler's second choice to be the Reich's filmmaker. Hitler first made the offer to the brilliant director Fritz Lang.

Lang's response? He immediately went home, packed his belongings, and boarded a train that got him the hell out of Germany for good.

What more really needs to be said?

43. An Account at First Hand of the Battle Lately Waged in and around the Town of Gettysburg (Pa.) as Related by Major General Isaac Ridgeway Trimble (ret.), Army of Northern Virginia (C.S.A.)—Rating: **½

"Before this war is over, I intend to be a major general or a corpse."

These are the first words we hear from Confederate office Isaac Trimble, ably portrayed by George Rand in this one-man show.

As the long title implies, this retelling of the famous battle of Gettysburg is jam-packed with details...some of which are more interesting than others. However, this piling on of facts helps create a textured picture of what it was like to be part of that landmark in history.

The show isn't perfect— for example, I didn't understand why Trimble was chosen as the narrator, since he isn't very likeable and doesn't end up playing a major role. (When I later asked Rand about this, his response was delightfully honest: "I picked him because he was like me, a cranky codger in his 60s.")

But if you're interested in Gettysburg, this is worth checking out.

44. A Transylvanian in Silicon Valley—Rating: **½

Silvian Centiu isn't a professional performer; he barely moves during his show, and tells his autobiographical story in a near-monotone.

But his tale is compelling, starting from his rebel activities to overthrow Romanian dictator Nicolae Ceausescu, to his escape from Romania, to his eventually making a successful career for himself in California as a computer programmer.

The main lesson Centiu wants us to know: Don't listen to people who tell you to wait; this wastes life. Go out and do what your instincts tell you is right.

45. Freddie—Rating: **½

This one-woman show traces the development of Jessie Curtis Baade (stage name Jessie Robles) from her childhood obsession with Milton Berle and Danny Kaye into a semi-successful career as a comedic magician in the Catskills.

This Borscht Belt saga is peppered with amusing Yiddishisms—for example, we're told a comment from a typical audience member was, "I'm svitching, so I'm going for a dip so I don't feel like a kishke."

This garners laughs, as does Jessie's fun delivery—she has an adorable voice, an elastic face offering a wide range of comedic expressions, and a curvy body that pleasantly contrasts with her cute persona.

What ultimately doesn't work, though, is the material. It's not tightly written, and doesn't manage to provide enough compelling anecdotes or insights to make for a great show. I suspect Jessie would've done better to team up with a professional writer—or at least a tough editor.

Still, Jessie herself is charming; and you might find her show worth catching to simply experience her sweet comedic personality.

46. The Psychic Hour—Rating: **½

The writer and star of this musical, Susan Murray, is primarily experienced at improvisation, and we get a sense of that at the start when she interacts with the audience. First she stares at us in search of spirits and proclaims, "Oh, there's a bunch of deadies here tonight." She adds, "Isn't it nice to know that everyone you couldn't stand, or hated, is waiting for you on the other side?"

Murray latches onto an audience member and says, "Let me take your hand while I look inside your head." Then she notices a bald man, who turns away. "Oh, a shy one," she purrs—and proceeds to sit on his lap and thrust his head into her bosom.

If only the whole show was like this. Unfortunately, after about 15 minutes the audience is ignored, and we're plunged into a drearily cliche story about Murray and a new boyfriend who alternate achieving success in show biz via psychic powers while having the other feel childishly jealous about it.

There are fun bits here and there—e.g., when Murray apparently loses her powers, she beseeches the spirits, "Come on, do it...I guess you've found another conduit." But overall, the rest of the two hours is a snooze, telling us nothing interesting about either psychics or relationships.

If this show was reworked to focus on the audience interaction and Murray's improv skills, it might get some life back in it. But as it is, you'll probably have a better time reading your horoscope.

47. The Black Swan of Trespass—Rating: **½

Ern Malley is the most famous poet in Australia...and he never existed. He was the creation of two pranksters demonstrating their contempt for modern art by crafting mock poetry and submitting it to a prominent journal, claiming it was the work of Ern who died tragically in his late 20s of "Grave's Disease." The journal took up Ern's work with enthusiasm...and was gravely embarrassed when the hoax was exposed. Here's a sample:

Now I find that once more I have shrunk

To an interloper, robber of dead men's dreams,

I had read in books that art is not easy

But no one warned that the mind repeats

In its ignorance the vision of others. I am still

The black swan of trespass on alien waters.

At the start of this show, we're told that to this day, the merit of Ern's poetry is still debated.

And with that, the actors commence performing highlights of said poetry...alternating silliness with absurd solemnity, accompanied by a piano, singer, and stuffed rooster.

I like the concept; but in all honesty, after the show was over my verdict was, "No, the poems have no merit."

That said, I have friends who loved this show. Therefore, this one appears to be very much a matter of personal taste.

48. Reddy or Not!—Rating: **½

Two separate friends have told me that this show's costar, Lance Werth, is a great guy and fine writer; and I have no reason to doubt this.

To my mind, though, cute cabaret doesn't really belong in the Fringe Festival. And I felt this show consisted of cute singers performing Helen Reddy songs cutely, interspersed with cute anecdotes.

Just not my cup of tea...but if it's the sort of thing you like, then you will like this.

49. Three—Rating: **½

I love puppetry, and the people at work here are pretty good at it. However, for my tastes, they just don't provide a very substantive show.

There are three tales (hence, the title), totaling 30 minutes.

The first is about a ringmaster who goes around shooting everyone in sight, including a horse named Sadness, a bunny called Anger, and a Bird-Girl. It was both cute and dark; but, although the program pamphlet described it as "a commentary on our sad times," it wasn't very satisfying.

The second is a shadow-puppet piece based on Lewis Carrolls "The Walrus and the Carpenter," emphasizing the aggressively carnivorous approach the duo take towards the oysters. (Are you detecting a theme here?)

The third piece is the most abstract. Titled "Pest Control," it's about a 19th Century antique doll who's struck in the head by a child's ball, propelling it into confronting a series of unsettling images from our modern world.

All of these tales are reasonably well-executed; I simply hoped for a lot more story and spectacle.

But if watching sporadically interesting, eerie images strikes you as intriguing, then you may enjoy this show.

50. blah, blah, blah—Rating: **

This is a series of comedic sketches, with the focus on ideas (as opposed to character humor). For example, there are skits about Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin arguing over what words to say when first stepping on the moon; a male versus female perspective on the movie classic Casablanca; and a couple on a first date who each see themselves as stars of their own films.

Virtually all the ideas that kick off the sketches are promising ones. However, in most cases they weren't followed through with fresh, original thinking and sharp writing.

The risk of conceptual humor is that unless it's done brilliantly, it can come across to an audience as "blah, blah, blah" -- and, unfortunately, most of the show did just that. At the performance I attended, people seldom laughed; and the word "strained" kept popping into my head.

On the plus side, the performances were good, and I admire this troupe's ambition. They simply need to work harder on the material.

51. You've Never Done Anything Unforgivable—Rating: **

In this one-man show, Matthew Humphreys sort of performs three short stories written by George Saunders (from Saunders' dystopian 1996 collection Civilwarland in Bad Decline).

I say "sort of" because for the first two tales, Humphreys provides a strange mix of reciting printed text and acting. While impressive as a feat of memory, it didn't work dramaticaly, and I quickly found myself wishing I could just read the pages for myself.

However, the third story, "The 400-Pound CEO," was written by Saunders as a long monologue; and, not surprisingly, it was by far the most effective part of the show.

There are some clever and highly theatrical ways to perform short stories; this isn't a prime example. However, Humphreys is likeable and professional; and you can't knock the source material.

52. Young Zombies in Love—Rating: **

I love the title. Unfortunately, it's the best part of this show.

The book (i.e., narrative structure and dialogue) is depressingly weak.

The cast and direction could've been better too; for example, the two romantic leads have zero chemistry together.

The only significant pluses are the songs by Gaby Alter and Damian Hess. There are some very catchy ones, and the show's CD was a favorite source of background music at Fringe Central to get folks humming while waiting on line to buy tickets. But even the songs become less entertaining as the show goes on.

Bottom line: Stick to the CD, which you can listen to and/or purchase at www.emeraldrain.com.

53. Sleeping With Management—Rating: **

Writer-actress Christine Goodman is enormously appealing, and I'm always happy to see her in anything.

That said, the heart of this autobiographical story is the increasingly troubled relationship of Goodman and her boyfriend as they set out on a road show together, with him in the position of her boss—but, inexplicably, the script spends very little time investigating this.

Instead, it goes off on such tangents as portraying encounters with a hotel maid, a cashier, a school principal—effectively, a one-woman show's equivalent of vacation slides.

To my mind, this tale would be better served as a fictionalized two-person play that focused on the dynamics of the couple—and probed more deeply and honestly into both their individual feelings and what was going on in their relationship.

The show also misses some prime comedic opportunities by not pushing on the contrast between Goodman's dead-serious attitude regarding her work situation ("Being on the road is like a slow shatter; your ego turns to confetti") and the relative absurdity of what her work entailed—which was wearing an adorable spider costume and befriending a talking pig for a touring version of Charlotte's Web for kids.

In a nutshell, the material would benefit from some adjustments to its approach and perspective. Again, though, Goodman is a sharp, funny, engaging performer; and it's always a pleasure to see her on stage.

54. All the Help You Need: The Adventures of A Hollywood Handyman—Rating: **

Like most actors, Tim Ryan couldn't support himself on his thespian skills alone—he needed to supplement his income with another gig. And so he became a pretty successful handyman.

Through his job, Ryan met a number of colorful and interesting characters—and, not surprisingly, ultimately crafted a show based around them to showcase his acting skills.

The biggest problem is, at the show I attended, Ryan's acting skills didn't appear to be that hot. He spoke his lines too quickly, while at the same time demonstrating very little connection to the audience—which appeared to cut him off from responding to our reactions. This emotional barrier he put up made me feel like he'd give the exact same performance whether he was playing to us or to a brick wall.

The other major problem is that while Ryan met many interesting people, he lacks a great storyteller's eye, and so often failed to provide us with the right details to make his anecdotes lively and insightful.

Ryan is a smart guy, and he has talent. But—for me, at least—his show lacks the feeling of down-to-earth honesty and connectedness it needs to succeed.

55. Jonestown, the Musical—Rating: **

There's nothing inherently wrong with musicals about people whose lives end famously and tragically. (See, for example, the positive write-up above for Die, Die, Diana.)

But if you're going to take on such a project, you should have a strong approach and fresh point of view. In contrast, this slickified, cliche-ridden production comes off as nothing more than a calculated attempt to exploit a well-known human disaster—the Reverend Jim Jones' cult in Guyana that in 1978 committed mass suicide.

I can't be certain whether this show was offensive throughout, because 30 minutes into the performance a fire alarm sounded and everyone was asked to evacuate the theatre.

I was later told it was a false alarm due to a mechanical glitch; but at the time I simply considered it a sign from on high and took off for a different show.

56. Big Trouble in Little Hazzard—Rating: **

When the word "jugs" was uttered, with pauses for audience titters, over a dozen times during the first 10 minutes, I decided that this really wasn't for me and fled.

However, there were fun prop cars, solid costuming, and appropriately silly speaking styles—particularly for the odious Boss Hogg. If you're a Dukes of Hazard fan, you might enjoy this.

57. Go Robot Go—Rating: **

"Studies show that if you eat right and adopt a healthy lifestyle, you will die...eventually."

"They said Noah was crazy too, baby—and they drowned."

"We're two hot-blooded mammals whose puzzles fit together just right."

Statements like these are about as profound as Go Robot Go gets.

Supposedly a satire about our consumer-based and media-crazed culture, the show is really more of a collection of manic scenes and dance numbers, sandwiched between a fun rock band blasting away on the left and the exaggerated facial expressions of the actors blown up on a video screen on the right. There simply isn't a great deal of substance behind the flash; and so this production ultimately comes across as no better than the subjects it's parodying.

That said, there's lots of youthful energy here; writer-lead Julie Shavers is a standout; and many of the younger members of my audience appeared to have a good time.

58. The Chair—Rating: **

A female manager—sitting in an executive's chair—informs her younger female employee that instead of getting a raise, she'll be sent off to a weekend seminar on business communication.

The employee is naturally angry about this; and its the trigger that launches a long conversation.

This is a solid premise that could've provided insights about manager-employee dynamics, class politics, corporate policies, woman-to-woman relationships...the possibilities are virtually endless.

Instead, we get dialogue that has a surface sheen but ultimately sounds like no one, in or out of the workplace, I've ever heard; and that's periodically interrupted by blackouts that are not only unnecessary, but ensure that we're continually pulled out of whatever involvement we might be developing with the characters. As a result, the story doesn't hang together, and the series of conversations never build to dramatic conclusions.

I have no idea what the playwright had in mind, but this pretty much ends up as a waste of the two talented actresses involved...not to mention the swank black leather chair.

59. Graceland—Rating: **

Oh dear.

First a daughter squabbles with her mother. Then a bad Elvis impersonator appears. Then a wife squabbles with her husband...interminably. Then another daughter squabbles with another mother. Then the wife and husband return to squabble some more. At this point, 45 very long minutes had passed of this 1 hour and 40 minute play...and I was still waiting to hear one fresh, original thought. So I simply took off.

Is it possible the play got better afterwards? Well, as I was leaving, the wife had just decided to pin all her hopes, and her last dollar, on winning the lottery.

Heck, anything's possible...

60. Immortality—Rating: *½

Over the course of this one-man show, I developed affection for writer-performer David Fairhurst and his attempt at a Woody Allen-like contemplation of ways to defeat the grim reaper.

Unfortunately, Fairhurst's performance was too low-energy and one-note; and I just didn't find his material—covering such options as creating great works, having children, or assassinating a public figure—to be sufficiently fresh or witty. The most interesting bits tended to be quotes he provided from other authors (e.g., "I like to write late at night, when there's less competition for all the good ideas").

Still, the show is an earnest effort; and anything that makes us think about what we're doing to provide meaning to our lives has merit.

61. The Life and Times of a Wonder Woman—Rating: *½

As a comic book expert, it's possible I'm overly tough on productions like this. But it seemed to me that this talky one-woman show—written by a man—amounted to a barrage of trivia about the Wonder Woman character without providing any genuine insights or wisdom about it all.

I was also startled by the failure to mention any of Wonder Woman's modern counterparts, such as Xena, Buffy, Dark Angel, La Femme Nikita, Elektra, Sydney Bristow, etc. The writer didn't even seem to realize Wonder Woman is currently enjoying a delightful rejuvenation (e.g., she's pursuing a very entertaining romantic relationship with the brooding Batman) via Cartoon Network's Justice League Unlimited TV series.

On the up side, the Wonder Woman costume was well done; the Australian actress playing the part was sweet; and even though WW is actually Greek, it was kinda fun to hear the character speaking with an Aussie accent.

62. The Blue Rocks—Rating: *½

If you're a fan of mood-piece theatre, where people talk very slowly and move inch by inch (or if you're nostalgic for the Star Trek episode in which the rock-like Horta crawls back and forth), you may enjoy this.

For my tastes, it was a bit like staring at a leaf—interesting for a few minutes, but then the mind wanders.

63. Vampire Cowboy Trilogy—Rating: *½

This show consists of three shorts parodying SF/fantasy/horror. The first is about a ghost detective; the second concerns two made-up superheroes, Captain Justice and Lady Liberty, battling a villain named Menace; and the third is a takeoff on Xena: Warrior Princess.

I happen to love all of these genres; e.g., I wrote a bestselling book about comic books, and have seen virtually every episode of Xena. I came in really wanting to like this show.

But, to be blunt, it played like a bad high school production: sophomoric writing, mediocre acting, and generally amateurish stage combat.

Everyone involved in the show appears to be a very sweet person; and I'd probably enjoy having heated debates with them about, say, the merits of Stargate versus Star Trek.

I also give them credit for coming up with some silly costumes—most memorably, a character with impossibly long arms.

But when a play feels overlong after 10 minutes, more work on the material is needed.

64. Angry Young Teen-Age Girl Gang—Rating: *

The jazzy live band was quite good.

Otherwise, it was if the producers had made a list of every set of choices available for a musical—and then in each case opted for the wrong one. If Ed Wood had gone into theatre, this might be the sort of production he'd create.

Um, have I mentioned that I liked the band?...

65. Holiday in the Sun—Rating: *

When the program pamphlet informs you that the first draft of the script was thrown together in two weeks—and not as of a result of inspiration, but on commission, with the only requirement that it work for a three-woman cast—you can guess that you're in for a bumpy show.

And you'd be right.

The performers are all smart, talented Australian actresses. But I kept wishing they'd ditch the dreadful script and simply chat with us. Sadly, no such miracle occurred.

Oh well; at least they now have a New York theatre credit on their resumes.

66. Comedeus—Rating: *

Imagine a speaking mime with a Jerry Lewis sensibility, and you've pretty much got Comedeus.

Not for my tastes; but if you enjoy seeing a grown man in a skin-tight black unitard behaving like a six-year-old, then hey ladeeee, have we got a show for you...

The bottom line on the 2004 FringeNYC? Even though this was its eighth time out, no one was resting on their laurels; it was the best Festival to date, with more shows worth seeing, and more of them likely to live on post-Fringe, than ever before.

My only regret is I couldn't squeeze in more than 66 shows. But I'll try harder next year...

Meanwhile, as always, I'm thrilled about all the wonderful people I met in between racing from venue to venue.

Please keep in touch.

Best,

Email: hy@hyreviews.com

Web: www.hybender.com

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