FRINGE: Tuesday 6/7 Recap

It’s Tuesday at Fringe and another gorgeous weather night! I’m so excited to be back. Tonight’s bill featured two very different shows.

First up was “Junkmail Oracle” from the Cincinnati Fallen Players. It’s a historical look at “1960’s Cleveland Poet d.a Levy battles obscenity charges while printing his own underground newspaper. Between his activism, deteriorating marriage, and growing cult celebrity more than the word itself is liable to be destroyed.”

I appreciate the traditional storytelling structure and am always glad to see more of this kind of scripted and straightforward play as part of Fringe. Find out more about this show here.

This one wasn’t my cup of tea – but that’s OK. Fringe has something for everyone!

My second show of the night was “Hedy! The Life and Inventions of Hedy Lamarr.” Starring the wonderful Heather Massie, this solo show features the character of “Hedy Lamarr” telling us about her life, her acting career, and her work as an inventor. It’s a fascinating story and Massie is infinitely watchable.

“Hedy Lamarr, glamorous siren of the silver screen, was more than the most beautiful woman in the world. She invented frequency hopping, and spread spectrum technology, that make the world of wireless communication tick. From Austria to Hollywood, WWII, torpedoes, ecstasy and intrigue to the very cell phone in your pocket, she was there!”

This definitely gets my Fringe Pick of the Day for it’s polish, professionalism, and fringy subject matter! (And I’m very excited about Massie’s new show about astronaut Sally Ride.)

More information about “Hedy!” can be found here.

Perhaps the most fascinating part of the night was the AfterHours event, literally titled:

A YOUNG MAN
DRESSED AS A
GORILLA DRESSED
AS AN OLD MAN
SITS ROCKING IN
A ROCKING CHAIR
FOR FIFTY-SIX
MINUTES AND
THEN LEAVES

I stayed for about seven minutes of the performance and it was indeed presented as advertised. But what was most fascinating about it was the audiences interactions with one another and their attempted interactions with the gorilla. It is definitely something you’d only see a Fringe!

I have to work for the next two evenings but I’ll be back on Friday night with more Fringe thoughts! Stay tuned.

The Cincinnati Fringe Festival is a 14-day celebration of theatre, art, music, film, dance, and everything between —  that’s Kinda WEIRD. Like YOU! Heading into its 19th year, Cincy Fringe (as it’s succinctly known) presents over 200 performances of 40+ theatre productions each May and June, plus art galleries, screenings, concerts, workshops, classes, and nightly parties. For more information, go to www.cincyfringe.com.