The Great White Way has SNOB: Saturday Night on Broadway. Fringe has Friday Night at Fringe. And Thursday Night. And all of Saturday. And…
Prank.net (The Impractical Pranksters Summon the Anti-Christ)
The plot of this show allows for some pretty edgy humor, which manages to deliver. The tech of this show feels very maximalist, to great effect, with the Anti-Christ appearing as a demented Genie from Aladdin. The sound design feels very polished, and stands a head and shoulders above other selections at the festival. The opening is bone-chilling and there is a real commitment from the script and performers.
I thought the themes were pretty thought-provoking, but the final line minimized all the themes into a thesis statement, a move that undercut everything else about the show, and felt like a PSA. While the last line wasn’t my favorite, this show is really comfortable in delivering on topics and aesthetics that aren’t found among other options. I found myself utterly engrossed in the story and fascinated by quandaries presented.
Tickets and future showtimes here!
BYTES
A phenomenal live performance, flawless tech execution, and effective lighting deliver on a poignant story. However the plot was thin, reading like reenactment of news headlines. The character of Jamie doesn’t leave his house which has left him susceptible to a relationship with an AI that he is apprehensive of, then falls in love with, and then uses its aid in an attempt to off himself. The piece is aware of headlines and wants to provide a message but left me cold in its minimal plot. So many other shows at the festival feature one live performer (and no prerecorded performers) that keep a story more engaging than this one. The character of Jamie was played well and had me fully immersed, and great music and “screen life” elements keep the pacing consistent.
Tickets and future showtimes here!
with what we have left
This is a very ambitious experiential project that has some very genuine moments, but struggles to find the parameters of the format. These missing parameters are felt, as they are necessary for the audience interaction required. The show I attended featured a play about a road trip in which the performer was blindfolded and unaware of the stops along the way. The audience played the role of people close to the performer and acted as passengers in the vehicle. This crowd was small but incredibly eager to participate. Unfortunately, despite our enthusiasm, we found lots of dead air. When we finally found our way on the road trip, a certain story was to be recounted from our performer, but because they could not prepare, I don’t know if the intended story was shared.
The performers/audience really found their groove, which surely should take a while to find considering the experimental format. A dance was shown to the audience to teach the performer, based on their previous residence. This was a high point, because the moderators who conducted this experiment can dance, as can the performer. The audience/cast members had to convey this to the still-blindfolded performer.
Reading a stack of paper from a suitcase representing things to bring on the road trip and things to leave behind, was incredibly touching. The performer, now sighted, was vulnerable, and there was a certain charm in them sharing their perspective. It was arbitrarily long, though.
My favorite moment was the finale, a karaoke song performed by the performer on the trip back home. I don’t think this was expected, but I joined the car ride, in the spirit of audience participation. I think this touched the moderator who also joined us in the car.
This one doesn’t work entirely, but has some moments that shine through. Come in ready to play, and this will be so much more exciting. Kudos to the production team for fully embracing the thesis of this project – the audience takes a bow and the pay structure is pay-what-you-want.
Tickets and future showtimes here!