By Ella Widau*
The Family Crow by The Pucking Fuppet Co., Toronto, ON
I must admit, I am quite biased toward puppets. I really admire the mastery you have to have to make a puppet come alive, and in The Family Crow, you can really see the love and dedication Adam Francis Proulx has for his craft. Playing as a crow telling the story of a murder he solved, he does a fantastic job at characterizing not just the crow himself but the family of crows of whom we don’t even see. He creates such different, unique voices and mannerisms for each family member, introducing them in creative ways to highlight their silly crow pun names. Although some of the puns are a little painful, I think he is more than aware of this fact, making them feel even sillier. Proulx is just a lover of word play.
Outside of his outstanding performance, the lighting is easily one of my favorite parts. It is so creative to have so many different lamps, each representative of each member of the family. Not only that, the shadows of the puppet against the back wall of the church are truly a sight.
Overall:
Even if puppets aren’t your thing, I would highly recommend this show. It’s a classic murder mystery with an unexpected ending… If you’re up for a little suspense and some crow puns, then this is a show for you.
The Family Crow will be part of the Encore Performances on June 14 at Know Theatre, but also has a performance on June 12 at 8:45 pm in the First Lutheran Church Sanctuary. Get tickets HERE.
History Hates Lovers by Queen City Queers Productions, Cincinnati, OH
History Hates Lovers is a great example of a show that’s fun to watch just because you can really tell the performers are having a good time with it. They really look like they’re enjoying themselves on that stage, and as an audience member, you can feel that. The dialogue between the characters really feels real; some of the conversations they had felt like conversations I’ve had with my friends.
Things are pretty anachronistic. I think that it’s very easy to get the audience confused about what’s going on and when, but I think it is executed very well. It is always very clear when the person speaking isn’t one of the present day characters, and it really adds a lot, showing the parallels between the two love stories.
Overall
They show how important it is to have platonic love within romance. You can’t reach a romantic relationship without being friends as well. I do think the pacing is a little quick, you really don’t see the ending coming, but, overall, I thought the show is very fun, and the time switches are incorporated rather seamlessly. It is a cute, classic, queer love story and quite an enjoyable watch.
Muttnik by Bruce Ryan Costella, Orlando, FL
Going into this story, I was quite skeptical. I don’t love when people dress up as animals, to me it has always felt rather strange and forced. Muttnik has changed my mind; Costella has simultaneously given an incredible heartfelt and comedic show. The switches he makes from different emotions feel very natural. He’s certainly not afraid to make the audience uncomfortable, but he also knows when to break the tension.
By the end of the show, it feels like the audience has a real relationship with this dog that none of us have ever met. Costella humanizes her. While the show began feeling very unserious, by the end, you can feel the intensity rising in the room. It was truly moving.
Somewhere Over the Holler by Pones, Cincinnati, OH and Northern KY
“Somewhere Over the Holler” has real queer people tell their own stories to the audience, and then retell those stories through the medium of dance. Some of the pieces were somber, while others were comedic. I would say this show is worth the watch for the second number alone. The dancer was truly in character and had amazing comedic timing. Everytime you would think there couldn’t be another costume change, there was another one. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time, and I know I wasn’t the only one. The whole audience was wooing throughout the number!
I could talk about which routines were the most technical (the dancers in Missy’s story had beautiful lines), but what really sticks with an audience member is the way the routines would make you feel. The overwhelming sense of community from these people who were telling these stories, and seeing the collaboration among the dancers was truly breathtaking. They place the audience into the production, making us feel what they’re feeling. Poller has truly created a masterful production that is incredibly well crafted and performed with so much passion and feeling. You can feel the love and care they put into each piece.
The Squid and the Octopus by Jim Julien, Drexel Hill, PA
If I had to sum up The Squid and The Octopus with one statement, it would be “incredibly weird, but so fun.”
There wasn’t any point that I was able to see where the story was going, or see what the purpose of the show was. What really made this production for me was just how much fun Julien was having with it, and he really spread that fun to the audience. There are moments of audience interaction that are always fun, and his puppets! My oh, my are they beautiful. There are so many moving parts and things he had to create for this show. He has moments that really are breathtaking, but there are also moments that are so ridiculous and outlandish, often emphasizing that this is “real life.” That being said, I think it adds a lot of charm to the show. It is silly and didn’t really have a point, but Julien does highlight the importance of being conscious of what you eat.
The show ends with the moral of thinking twice before you decide to order calamari as your appetizer when you go out to eat. I’m no stranger to being conscious of what you’re eating, I’ve been a pescetarian since I was 12. I don’t think people should eat food that they wouldn’t kill themselves. However, I must admit, this show really made me want some calamari. My friend and I went and ordered some at Teak Thai, the restaurant down the street after the show. I’m sorry Julien. I hope you and your puppets can find it in your hearts to forgive me.
[Title of Memoir] or 2.5 Pots of Coffee a Day is Too Much and Other Advice I Didn’t Think I Would Need to Hear or On How Judith Light Saved My Life p.s. Please thank… by FaithGGI Art, Cincinnati, OH
I can say with full confidence that [Title of Memoir] is one of the best productions I’ve seen. Not just at Fringe, but in my lifetime. It is a crime that this show was only showing for one weekend. Faith takes us on a journey through her life, focusing mostly on her mental health. Her set was full of a bunch of random stuff, very maximalist. She has kept anything and everything that she has created over the years, which is something I really resonate with as a chronic junk journal-er.
This show was hilarious. It was incredibly well written and the delivery of her jokes were done so well, especially considering the darker subject matter. Faith shows the audience her willingness to laugh at herself, and her desire to make others laugh with her. So many of her bits were performed with such ease; there were moments where I wasn’t sure if things were scripted or if she was improving. Whether it was scripted or not, it was funny. There were frequent comedic commercial breaks throughout the show, which I think were a wonderful touch. There were moments where the transitions were rather abrupt, but I think that added to the comedic value.
This show wasn’t just funny, though. It was incredibly heartwarming. She shared the ups and downs of her life, the good and the bad. She would joke about some things, but it’s important to acknowledge that not everything can be funny all the time. It’s okay to be vulnerable, and it’s okay to laugh. Faith found the perfect balance between seriousness and silliness.
Take Some of the Show Home with You
As the show came to a close, Faith welcomed the audience to grab some of her bags full of random junk. These bags were filled with the things she hoarded, things she didn’t have the heart to throw away or to really go through. My friend and I both took a bag, going through everything once we got home. There were all sorts of different things in them; unfinished plays, New Year’s resolutions, random stickers and cut outs, magazines, shopping lists, and miscellaneous art supplies. It’s exactly what she said it was; junk from her day to day life. These bags of junk came with a pack of matches for us to burn them with. The day after her show, my friend and I came together and burned our junk together.
Faith turned her performance into an experience that lasted past that one night. And don’t worry, I didn’t burn everything. Like I said, I’m a chronic junk journal-er, so some of her things will live on in my little craft book. This performance is one I will remember for a very long time. Our mental health journeys never end, they are forever ongoing. It was truly impactful. I hope to see Faith perform more in the future. She is a true talent.
Get Tickets To Cincinnati Fringe Festival
Cincinnati Fringe Festival runs through June 14, produced by Know Theatre. Fringe Headquarters is at Know Theatre, 1120 Jackson Street, Cincinnati, in the Over the Rhine (OTR) neighborhood. For more information and tickets CLICK HERE.
*Please help up welcome Ella Widau! Ella is from Springboro, OH, and is passionate about dance, theatre and art. They are a Junior at the University of Dayton. Ella has managed LCT Social Media for the ’24/’25 theatre season. This is their first review!
