Fringe is Winding Down
As Cincy Fringe begins to draw to a close, it’s important to remember there are still enough hours to catch some great theatre. Here are two of the shows with time slots remaining:
Jon Bennett: Dad (hates) Jokes by 2Hoots Productions
Jon Bennett brings us another one-person show this Fringe – this time, about his very serious and very accident-prone father. One spoiler that must be mentioned: Bennett tends to go long on his show. I had to run out before the very end, but was thankfully brought up to speed by the gracious Kevin Crawley.
Jon Bennett grew up in a place where “driving into town” was a lengthy trip. With a combination of spoken word, projections, and poetry, the audience is told the story of his father who, shall we say, does not have Bennett’s same sense of humour. Filled with raunchy and relatable giggles, the audience is taken on a wild ride through the formative experiences of Bennett’s life from his early years to his “big break”. Just in time for Father’s Day, it is a raucous treat reminding us that “ordinary people can live extraordinary lives.”
REMAINING PERFORMANCE: 6/16 at 8:45pm in Rm 204 at Art Academy of Cincinnati.
Dearly Departed by Karim Muasher & Animal Engine
I’ll admit it: I can be very hot and cold with physical humour. Luckily for Cincinnati, Karim Muasher is one of the best in this trade. Described as a “clown show about grieving for the whole family”, Departed is a journey which seemingly goes off the topic, but there is absolutely a method to the madness. With the help of some enthusiastic audience members, Muasher excels at story-telling with few words. The pace of this escapade is solid and keeps the audience wanting to know more. For those of us who have experienced grief, it is not only an amusing distraction, but a thoughtful and heartfelt expression of loss.
I would encourage those who are unsure of physical comedy to catch this show as I believe it will show them how beautiful it can really be. Muasher is one half of a company of consummate professionals and their art is not to be missed.
REMAINING PERFORMANCE: 6/16 at 6:45pm at Know Theatre Main Stage.
Cincy Fringe 2023 Tickets
While not quite over, this reviewer believe our 20th Annual Cincinnati Fringe Festival has been a great one. I implore you to catch some shows (CLICK HERE FOR TICKETS) this weekend before the lights dim for the year and to keep Fringe in mind again next summer. This gathering of artists is an experience like no other. Whether you are a fan or an artist yourself, you will walk away with so many wonderful things. In the best cases, you will even be able to leave some of the things that might be weighing you down behind.
Tonight’s Shows (Click here for Reviews!)
- 6:45 pm – Dearly Departed
- 6:45 pm – Thread and Bone
- 6:45 pm – Modern Beings in Search of the Sole
- 7:00 pm – 1NCE Upon a Lie
- 7:00 pm – Made in America*
- 7:00 pm – Keeping Our Torch
- 8:30 pm – Rappings
- 8:30 pm – Heart Ripped Out Twice*
- 8:30 pm – Gentrification: the Musical
- 8:45 pm – Dad (Hates) Jokes
- 8:45 pm – Anchorette
- 8:45 pm – RUH-Roh
- *also showing Saturday as part of the Fringe Encore
Looking Forward to Know Theatre’s Next Season!
Missing Know Theatre already? Never fear: a new season is (almost) here! Season 26 is still TBD on a couple of projects, but stay tuned and keep an eye out here to follow along and be in the audience for the 26th year of being YOUR theatrical playground. Live theatre isn’t the same without an audience – so let’s get ready to play!
