Reviews by Shawn Maus
Review: Invisible Women – A Living Gallery of Women’s Stories
Presented by Ashley Goos/Miami University, Oxford, OH
Invisible Women isn’t a show—it’s an experience. One that invites you to step into the story, not just watch it unfold. Part installation, part performance, and wholly transformative, this interdisciplinary, choose-your-own-adventure Fringe piece brings women’s voices to life through dance, film, visual art, and audience participation. Each moment offers a new lens—and each viewer, a new thread in the tapestry.
The dance duet “Always Fine” left a haunting impression. Set to “These Boots Are Made for Walkin’,” the piece explores the disconnect behind that daily, automatic “How are you?” The dancers, trapped within invisible “walls,” reach for connection but remain confined. It was a subtle yet powerful metaphor for the ways we box people—and their emotions—into neat, dismissive spaces. It made me reflect on how often I’ve been physically present with someone, but not really with them.
Jackie Chourchene Spayd’s solo “Zenaida” is a graceful meditation on legacy—what we receive from our ancestors and what we pass on. Her movement was so fluid, so full of intention and feeling, I felt like I was witnessing a living memory in motion.
Rose Sunila’s Web of Silence is the kind of performance you feel in your skin. Different every time, this piece literally weaves a web in real-time, each audience helping shape it. Sunila’s mesmerizing physicality turns silence into connection. She doesn’t just perform—she draws you in, wrapping the room in intimacy and emotional resonance.
Diane Fellows’ interactive film installation When You Are Here breaks boundaries—figuratively and literally. Projected on a found, borderless space, the film plays beside a rigid Smartboard, a beautiful (though unintentional) metaphor for freedom versus limitation. Fellows shared that the piece was shot on both a Sony camera and iPhone, blending professional and personal tech to powerful effect, unleashing a border of creativity. A surrounding interactive “river”—where participants can build boats and contribute drawings—transforms the floor into a borderless canvas. I felt the alienation of being boxed in, but also the liberation of creatively flowing past it.
And don’t miss the graphite and eraser artwork. What I thought was just a drawing turned into a surprising tool for overcoming anxiety and creative blocks. It’s hands-on, personal, and eye-opening—just like this entire installation.
Before you leave, make something. Draw. Write. Add your mark. You’re part of the story now.Invisible Women made me “Believe the Magic” of interdisciplinary art—and I want more. With only two performances, consider this your invitation to step inside the web. You’ll leave seeing things a little differently.
Shawn Says: 🎟️ Get tickets NOW at this LINK.
Upcoming Performances of Invisible Women at the Miami University University Venue:
- June 5 at 8:45 PM
- June 12 at 7 PM
Review: Buckle Up for Laughs with Velma & Clarice (a.k.a. The AMAZING Amazing Race Roadtrip)
Presented by Patricia Mullins from Cincinnati, OH
Velma & Clarice is the buddy road trip comedy we didn’t know we needed. Think Thelma &
Louise but with more laughs, fewer cliffs, and a lot more imagination.
In this madcap misadventure, two sisters on the run find themselves filming an application video
for The Amazing Race—while dodging the police and navigating a series of ridiculous mishaps.
The result? A perfectly executed farce that Carol Burnett and Neil Simon would die for, filled
with fast-paced comedy, sharp dialogue, and a surprising amount of heart. The chemistry between the two actors is electric. Their comedic timing is exceptional—every beat lands, every glance says more than words. It’s physical comedy meets emotional resonance, and it works beautifully.
Yes, it’s outrageous. Yes, it’s absurd. And yes, you’ll laugh your face off. But beneath the
hilarity, there’s something deeply touching about two women rediscovering who they are when
everything else is falling apart. If you love character-driven chaos and a good laugh with your feels, Velma & Clarice is your ticket. This is one road trip worth taking.
Shawn Says:
“A riotous road trip with heart—Velma & Clarice is the laugh-out-loud farce Fringe was made
for.”
Remaining Performances of Velma & Clarice (AKA the AMAZING Amazing Race Roadtrip) at Coffee Emporium 🎟️ Get tickets
- June 7 – 6:45 PM
- June 10 – 6:45 PM
- June 11 – 8:30 PM
- June 12 – 8:30 PM
Review: Traitors Dares You to Look Closer at the World We’re Already In
Presented by Stix Newman
Cincinnati Fringe’s Traitors by Stix Newman isn’t horror—but it’s absolutely terrifying. Set under martial law in a dystopian future where queer citizens must register under the QRA (Queer Registration Act), this production delivers a gut-punch of a narrative that feels all too plausible in today’s political climate.
Archie, a straight, low-level QRA employee, stumbles into the underground world of rebel queers and falls for Dazzle, a transgender dancer with charisma, strength, and secrets. What unfolds is part Romeo and Juliet, part The Warriors, with a dash of Clockwork Orange—gritty, stylish, violent, and deeply human.
The cast is fierce. Their physicality and commitment to the world they’ve built is undeniable. The opening fight scene is a stand-out—sharp, athletic, and stunningly choreographed. And the club dance sequence? Electric. It lit up the room with spontaneous applause and whoops from the crowd.
Newman’s script, over a year in the making, lands with urgency. It’s tender and brutal, and there’s a twist I won’t spoil that will leave your heart in your throat. The dialogue crackles with emotion, honesty, and purpose. It doesn’t preach—it punches.
Director and cast strike the right balance between raw action and emotional weight. It’s a show that doesn’t let you off easy. And it shouldn’t. See this show. You’ll leave changed.
Shawn says: See this show. You’ll leave changed.
Remaining Performances to Traitors at Know Theatre 🎟️ Get tickets
- June 4 – 8:30 PM
- June 6 – 6:45 PM
- June 10 – 6:45 PM
- June 11 – 8:30 PM
Review: Me, Myself, and Other – A Triumph of Voice, Vulnerability, and Vision
Presented by Diana Romero and Maggie Whittum
Diana Romero’s Me, Myself, and Other is exactly the kind of solo performance that lives in your head—and heart—long after the lights go down. Directed by Maggie Whittum, this autobiographical one-woman show is a moving, funny, and deeply human exploration of identity, disability, and self-acceptance told with humor, candor, and a storyteller’s command.
Diana (that’s DEE-anna, with no middle name, thank you very much) takes us on an unforgettable journey that stretches from Colombia (with two O’s) to Kansas, France, Los Angeles, and the liminal spaces in between. It’s a tale of school bullying, creative ambition, cultural pressure, and a body that suddenly demands she learn to navigate the world in new ways.
What makes Me, Myself, and Other resonate is Diana’s ability to make us feel like co-conspirators in her life’s plot twists. Her pacing is Spaulding Gray-esque, balancing stand-up-level laughs with sucker-punch moments of emotional honesty. One minute, she’s riffing on the absurdities of entrepreneurship or the “uncool” reality of film school; the next, she’s quietly reminding you what it feels like to be “othered”—by systems, by strangers, even by your own reflection.
Romero also grapples with the artist’s eternal struggle: how do you tell your story when your voice feels blocked, your body is shifting, and your spirit is tired? Her answer: you keep telling it. With aplomb, with humor, and—when necessary—with defiant awe.
Me, Myself, and Other isn’t just about resilience. It is resilience. And by the end, you feel like you’ve gained not only insight into the disabled experience—but a new friend and fearless voice to root for.
Shawn Says: Diana Romero doesn’t just tell a story—she welcomes you into it, makes space for your own, and dares you to see the world through a wider lens. Don’t miss this one.
Upcoming Performances of Me, Myself and Other at Know Theatre
- June 3 Tue – 8:30 PM
- June 7 Sat – 4:00 PM
- June 11 Wed – 6:45 PM
- June 13 Fri – 6:45 PM
🎟️ Get tickets: Me, Myself, and Other
Overall: Shawn Says Go to Cincinnati Fringe
Cincinnati Fringe runs in Over the Rhine (OTR) through June 14. On June 14 there will be four encore performances of some of the highlights of the Fringe. Keep following the Fringe Website and Stay tuned!
Find the shows that speak to you in this easy to access REVIEW GRID.
