Today’s Orlando Fringe Festival reviews include “At the Table With Keith Brown” (highly recommended), “Death of a Dandelion,” “Journey from the Nile to the Tigris,” “Pride, Prejudice and Promposals” and “The Waiting Room.”
I check in, fill out the new patient form, take a number and a seat… and now I’m in “The Waiting Room” (outside Visual Fringe, 60 minutes). I examine the different channels on the provided “silent party headphones.” The hold music on blue is my favorite, but I’m also digging the Fringe commercials on green.
The girl next to me takes a selfie. A gentleman wanders around looking at artwork. My pink eye-glasses fall, I have to crawl under the bench to recover them. My neighbor looks at me quizzically; I show him my glasses. He smiles and nods. We return to waiting.
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Number 3,000 is called, and we all look up to see who reports to the desk. It’s artwork guy. We go back to waiting.
I still don’t even know what I’m waiting for, but isn’t that sort of how life is? We’re content to wait, even though it’s not always clear what we hope to find on the other side.
There’s no guarantee your number will get called, and I’m not sure I would mind if mine didn’t. Then, “Number 42” interrupts the jazzy hold music, and I meet with an agent. I’m happy to share, but not to spoil, so I will tell you only that I left my appointment with a sticker and a snack… and that it was worth the wait.
Grandmother “Mama Judy” is portrayed by her grandchild, JJ Ivey, in “Death of a Dandelion” (Scarlet, 60 minutes) on a grass-green rug with silk flowers placed within its folds.
As Mama Judy, Ivey “picks” flowers — which inspire anecdotes based on each flower’s traditional meaning, for example, tulip for motherhood, rose for romance, etc. In the end, the audience has a metaphorical bouquet of stories that are a bit like a Publix 3/$12: pretty and colorful, if a bit skimpy.
However, the seeds have been planted, and if Ivey continues to water them and cultivate the soil, there may be a future adaptation that offers deeper contemplation and a more satisfying ending.
And speaking of satisfaction, the pin-back buttons Keith Brown promotes his show with claim that he is “Hotter than Potter.” Since Harry Potter requires CGI for all of his magic, and Brown is a master of the authentic, dexterous and artistic sleight of hand, I think I agree with the button: Brown is hotter than Potter.
“At the Table with Keith Brown” (Silver, 60 minutes, highly recommended) offers up-close magic tricks using a simple deck of playing cards from Costco. The tricks are astonishing, but beyond that, Brown is a great storyteller with a charismatic presence.
The large Silver venue may seem daunting for an up-close magic show, but with live cameras, Brown projects his feats onto a large screen so that audience members feel, well, up-close. There are also “ringside seats” on the stage, so arrive early if you want to literally be at the table with Brown.
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Disco Iskandar’s “Journey from the Nile to the Tigris” (Blue, 60 minutes) is a love letter to Middle Eastern dance and music. The company’s commitment to the cultural and historical integrity of bellydance is laudable, and it is clear that director Veronica Lynn is not only impressively talented (the rhythmic articulations through Lynn’s body are masterly), but well-educated in her craft.
Film clips create the backdrop, and there are fun props such as swords, hookah headpieces and fingercymbals. However, it is the splendid artistry and variety presented that make this show mesmerizing to watch.
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“Pride, Prejudice and Promposals” (Teal at Fringe ArtSpace, 54 W. Church St., 75 minutes) sets Jane Austen’s beloved great work of literature to the music of Taylor Swift and in the age of texting, TikTokking and trending. Austen fans will appreciate clever nods to the novel. As an example: Betty Bennet, Will Darcy and their friends attend Pemberley Prep School, which (according to their sweatshirts) was established in 1813. (If you’re a BritLit nerd, you are surely slapping your knee right now.)
However, if you’re simply a Swiftie, you’ll appreciate a nice blend of her hits, such as “Shake it Off” and “Love Story,” as well as some lesser-known tracks. There were some very strong vocalists in the cast; however, at a preview, technical hiccups made it hard to hear the voices. Some of the dancing was a bit sloppy, and one actress was out sick, but as with “Pride and Prejudice” in the final chapters, all will surely come together.
Orlando Fringe Festival
- Where: Shows at Loch Haven Park are in color-coded venues; off-campus locations are identified by name.
- When: Through May 27
- Cost: $10 button required for ticketed shows, then individual performance tickets are no more than $15.
- Schedule, tickets, more info: OrlandoFringe.org
- More reviews: OrlandoSentinel.com/fringe
