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Fringe Festival 2011: Reviews

Post critics offer their opinions on plays in the 2011 Capital Fringe Festival, through July 24. Read their reviews here.

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'Manifesto!'

Fiona Zublin praised this show about Dada philosophy: "It's tough to pull off such a disjointed evening of performance art, but something this lovely to look at doesn't really require rationality. It's a loving tribute to the surreal rather than a self-important rejection of the idea that anything really matters."Read her full review.

Courtesy Capital Fringe Festival /

Says Joe Banno: 'Douglas Moore's slight, satirical, 1958 opera, 'Gallantry,' is pretty benign fare for the often edgy, unpredictable Capital Fringe Festival. At barely a half-hour in length, it gently spoofs the conventions of radio and early-TV soap operas — specifically the overheated, hospital-based variety — right down to the live, in-studio commercials that were common at the time.' <a data-xslt='_http' href='http://www.washingtonpost.com/gog/performing-arts/gallantry-a-soap-opera-in-one-act,1209760.html'>Read his full review</a>.

'Gallantry: A Soap Opera in One Act'

Says Joe Banno: "Douglas Moore's slight, satirical, 1958 opera, 'Gallantry,' is pretty benign fare for the often edgy, unpredictable Capital Fringe Festival. At barely a half-hour in length, it gently spoofs the conventions of radio and early-TV soap operas — specifically the overheated, hospital-based variety — right down to the live, in-studio commercials that were common at the time." Read his full review.

Nichole Brock

Adam Ruben's solo comedy show about his painful teenage years is unfiltered, and 'not quite artful,' writes Nelson Pressley. But, 'you have to love a kid who, in a moment of darkness, could write, 'It's the noodle that comes up when I stir my thought soup.'' <a data-xslt='_http' href='http://www.washingtonpost.com/gog/performing-arts/please-dont-beat-me-up-stories-and-artifacts-from-adolescence,1209741/critic-review.html#reviewNum1'>Read his full review</a>.

'Please Don't Beat Me Up: Stories and Artifacts from Adolescence'

Adam Ruben's solo comedy show about his painful teenage years is unfiltered, and "not quite artful," writes Nelson Pressley. But, "you have to love a kid who, in a moment of darkness, could write, 'It's the noodle that comes up when I stir my thought soup.'" Read his full review.

Courtesy Capital Fringe Festival

Writes Maura Judkis: ' 'My Name Is Pablo Picasso' puts the young painter in his studio for a 5 a.m. lovers' spat between him and his first model, Fernande. But when the Old Man, a fortuneteller, bursts through the studio doors, Picasso learns that though his future is bright, Fernande's beauty belies her ugly interior.' <a data-xslt='_http' href='http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/my-name-is-pablo-picasso-at-fringe-festival/2011/07/11/gIQAbFAb9H_story.html'>Read her full review</a>.

'My Name is Pablo Picasso'

Writes Maura Judkis: " 'My Name Is Pablo Picasso' puts the young painter in his studio for a 5 a.m. lovers' spat between him and his first model, Fernande. But when the Old Man, a fortuneteller, bursts through the studio doors, Picasso learns that though his future is bright, Fernande's beauty belies her ugly interior." Read her full review.

Courtesy Capital Fringe Festival

In a letter to Stevie Jay, the performer of this one-man show, Nelson Pressley writes: 'I thought you were really smart about teasing issues of sexuality into view and then being playfully resistant about the way we get hung up on labels. We rehash this publicly all the time, yet you made it fresh.' <a data-xslt='_http' href='http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/life-love-and-stevie-jays-one-man-show/2011/07/11/gIQAaZgW9H_story.html'>Read his full review</a>.

Llife, Love, Sex, Death ... and Other Works in Progress'

In a letter to Stevie Jay, the performer of this one-man show, Nelson Pressley writes: "I thought you were really smart about teasing issues of sexuality into view and then being playfully resistant about the way we get hung up on labels. We rehash this publicly all the time, yet you made it fresh." Read his full review.

Courtesy Capital Fringe Festival

Rachel Weiner prays for a 'game over' in this musical based on the classic computer game. ' 'Oregon Trail' the show is never as edgy as it should be or as funny as it seems to think it is. The words 'manifest destiny' are used many, many times, to no effect,' she says. <a data-xslt='_http' href='http://www.washingtonpost.com/gog/performing-arts/the-oregon-trail-the-quest-for-the-west,1209813/critic-review.html#reviewNum1'>Read her full review</a>.

'The Oregon Trail: Quest for the West!'

Rachel Weiner prays for a "game over" in this musical based on the classic computer game. " 'Oregon Trail' the show is never as edgy as it should be or as funny as it seems to think it is. The words 'manifest destiny' are used many, many times, to no effect," she says. Read her full review.

Courtesy Capital Fringe Festival

Nelson Pressley praises Silverstein as a 'beautiful oddball,' even though the performers from the National Conservatory of Dramatic Arts are a bit unseasoned. 'But the chance to spend an hour with Silverstein is too good to pass up,' says Pressley. <a data-xslt='_http' href='http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/2011/07/08/gIQAB6zp3H_story.html'>Read his full review</a>.

'An Adult Evening with Shel Silverstein'

Nelson Pressley praises Silverstein as a "beautiful oddball," even though the performers from the National Conservatory of Dramatic Arts are a bit unseasoned. "But the chance to spend an hour with Silverstein is too good to pass up," says Pressley. Read his full review.

Courtesy Capital Fringe Festival

You'll eat strange foods amid futurist performance pieces at the 'Tactile Dinner Car,' Fiona Zublin says. 'The show is occasionally in the cuisine, as in the fiery yet ultimately upsetting show behind the 'Dupelication,' but it's more often about engaging the audience with absurdity and in spurring people to discover the secret behind each dish.' <a data-xslt='_http' href='http://www.washingtonpost.com/gog/performing-arts/tactile-dinner-car,1209849.html'>Read her full review</a>.

'Tactile Dinner Car'

You'll eat strange foods amid futurist performance pieces at the "Tactile Dinner Car," Fiona Zublin says. "The show is occasionally in the cuisine, as in the fiery yet ultimately upsetting show behind the 'Dupelication,' but it's more often about engaging the audience with absurdity and in spurring people to discover the secret behind each dish." Read her full review.

Courtesy Capital Fringe Festival

Victorian-era lesbians are the subject of this David Mamet play. Nelson Pressley praised the show: 'It's Jane Austen, Henry James and 'American Buffalo,' driven by repartee that's back-alley Oscar Wilde — precise and elaborate yet wickedly brutal, with foul-mouthed eruptions peppering the copious 'I pray you's.' ' <a data-xslt='_http' href='http://www.washingtonpost.com/gog/performing-arts/boston-marriage,1209818/critic-review.html#reviewNum1'>Read his full review.</a>

'Boston Marriage'

Victorian-era lesbians are the subject of this David Mamet play. Nelson Pressley praised the show: "It's Jane Austen, Henry James and 'American Buffalo,' driven by repartee that's back-alley Oscar Wilde — precise and elaborate yet wickedly brutal, with foul-mouthed eruptions peppering the copious 'I pray you's.' " Read his full review.

Courtesy Capital Fringe Festival

This show has little in common with the Greek myth, and that's just fine, says Fiona Zublin. 'This story is more about the conflict between science and mystery, about whether mankind's thirst for knowledge is a virtue.' <a data-xslt='_http' href='http://www.washingtonpost.com/gog/performing-arts/pandora-a-tragicomic-greek-romp,1209802/critic-review.html#reviewNum1'>Read her full review.</a>

'Pandora: A Tragicomic Greek Romp'

This show has little in common with the Greek myth, and that's just fine, says Fiona Zublin. "This story is more about the conflict between science and mystery, about whether mankind's thirst for knowledge is a virtue." Read her full review.

Courtesy Capital Fringe Festiva

Brian Sutow and Joshua Morgan, of the No Rules Theatre Company, offer up a lesson on how to be funny, and they succeed in all the worng ways. Says Stephanie Merry: “Watching the pair fail at demonstrating the mechanics of comic timing and technique turns out to be an exercise in hilarity, mostly because the actors are so fully committed to their outlandish characters.'<a data-xslt='_http' href='http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/capital-fringe-festival-review-assembly-required-comedy-from-a-to-y/2011/07/12/gIQAza0FBI_story.html'>Read her full review.</a>

'Assembly Required: Comedy A to Y'

Brian Sutow and Joshua Morgan, of the No Rules Theatre Company, offer up a lesson on how to be funny, and they succeed in all the worng ways. Says Stephanie Merry: “Watching the pair fail at demonstrating the mechanics of comic timing and technique turns out to be an exercise in hilarity, mostly because the actors are so fully committed to their outlandish characters."Read her full review.

Drew Wolber

Grain of Sand Theatre Company's update of 'Hamlet' removes all of the title character's introspective monologues to highlight the confusion his court feels over his behavioral changes. Says Fiona Zublin: 'It turns out that without all the navel-gazing, 'Hamlet' isn't all that interesting. Sure, Hamlet's kind of a trigger-happy maniac, but that's no revelation. He's a trigger-happy maniac in the original, too.'<a data-xslt='_http' href='http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/capital-fringe-festival-review-hamlet-reframed/2011/07/12/gIQA61SFBI_story.html'>Read her full review.</a>

'Hamlet: Reframed'

Grain of Sand Theatre Company's update of "Hamlet" removes all of the title character's introspective monologues to highlight the confusion his court feels over his behavioral changes. Says Fiona Zublin: "It turns out that without all the navel-gazing, 'Hamlet' isn't all that interesting. Sure, Hamlet's kind of a trigger-happy maniac, but that's no revelation. He's a trigger-happy maniac in the original, too."Read her full review.

John Shryock

According to Nelson Pressley, this Hell's Angels-inspired version of 'King Lear' 'has no vroom.' Pressley says: 'The direction merely moves traffic on and off, and though Michael Galizia sounds formidable and looks fearsome as the big-bellied graybeard leader of the pack, the acting's just not very colorful.'<a data-xslt='_http' href='http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/capital-fringe-festival-reviews-king-lear-vindlevoss-family-circus-more/2011/07/12/gIQAnRkGBI_story.html'>Read his full review.</a>

'King Lear'

According to Nelson Pressley, this Hell's Angels-inspired version of "King Lear" "has no vroom." Pressley says: "The direction merely moves traffic on and off, and though Michael Galizia sounds formidable and looks fearsome as the big-bellied graybeard leader of the pack, the acting's just not very colorful."Read his full review.

Kristen Quade

Says Maura Judkis, “’Hugo Ball’ strikes the right balance between historical tribute and yell-your-lungs-out nonsense sound poem in its homage to the founder of the dada movement.” <a data-xslt='_http' href='http://www.washingtonpost.com/gog/performing-arts/the-super-spectacular-dada-adventures-of-hugo-ball,1209801/critic-review.html#reviewNum1'>Read her full review.</a>

‘Hugo Ball: A Super Spectacular Dada Adventure’

Says Maura Judkis, “’Hugo Ball’ strikes the right balance between historical tribute and yell-your-lungs-out nonsense sound poem in its homage to the founder of the dada movement.” Read her full review.

Rachel Parks

Nelson Pressley saw this show set in a restaurant seafood tank inhabited by singing puppets. “The world outside this little enclave is rough, the characters say, but as comic bits die and the pre-revision ’Spider-Man’ starts looking coherent by comparison, the droning tale inside the tank rankles,” says Pressley. <a data-xslt='_http' href='http://www.washingtonpost.com/gog/performing-arts/pascals-aquarium,1209811/critic-review.html#reviewNum1'>Read his full review.</a>

‘Pascal’s Aquarium’

Nelson Pressley saw this show set in a restaurant seafood tank inhabited by singing puppets. “The world outside this little enclave is rough, the characters say, but as comic bits die and the pre-revision ’Spider-Man’ starts looking coherent by comparison, the droning tale inside the tank rankles,” says Pressley. Read his full review.

Susan Downs

Charles Downey classifies this recital as “not too annoying.” “Surprisingly, for a concept intended to play on the stereotype of sopranos as spotlight-craving showboats, there were few vocal pyrotechnics and even fewer soaring high notes,” he says. <a data-xslt='_http' href='http://www.washingtonpost.com/gog/performing-arts/divas-just-wanna-have-fun,1209807/critic-review.html#reviewNum1'>Read his full review.</a>

‘Divas Just Wanna Have Fun!’

Charles Downey classifies this recital as “not too annoying.” “Surprisingly, for a concept intended to play on the stereotype of sopranos as spotlight-craving showboats, there were few vocal pyrotechnics and even fewer soaring high notes,” he says. Read his full review.

Joshua Shirlen

Celia Wren enjoyed this ninja kung fu light show. “Souped up with glowing weaponry, the ghost of a ‘Karate Kid’-type story line and gnomic voice-overs (‘Your hand should not fear the brick; the brick should fear your hand’), this unusual Fringe selection offers an opportunity to see a whirling nunchaku that’s as eerily luminous as Luke Skywalker’s light saber,” she says. <a data-xslt='_http' href='http://www.washingtonpost.com/gog/performing-arts/illuminate-a-martial-arts-experience,1209756/critic-review.html#reviewNum1'>Read her full review.</a>

‘Illuminate: A Martial Arts Experience’

Celia Wren enjoyed this ninja kung fu light show. “Souped up with glowing weaponry, the ghost of a ‘Karate Kid’-type story line and gnomic voice-overs (‘Your hand should not fear the brick; the brick should fear your hand’), this unusual Fringe selection offers an opportunity to see a whirling nunchaku that’s as eerily luminous as Luke Skywalker’s light saber,” she says. Read her full review.

John Shryock / JOHN SHRYOCK

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