Against the background of the two mass shootings in the last 24 hours, this seems somewhat trivial, but art is a vital part of a culture for the lessons it can convey. In that spirit, I’d like to note that we greatly enjoyed two shows at the Minnesota Fringe Festival over its first weekend, and there’s still time to attend them, although you may have to reserve tickets if you choose to go.
Edith Gets High is the modern day story of a video game warrior named Edith, who loves video games, pot, and her girlfriend, Ari. When a video game troll claims to have kidnapped Ari, Edith begins the pursuit, and finds herself stepping right into a videogame, where she learns the courage it takes to truly battle in the real world. Full of music and enthusiasm, this is a real spirit lifter.
Frankenstein: Two Centuries are radio play renditions of two original Frankenstein tales. Mysterious Old Radio Listening Society, the company behind this show, aims to do more than just recite a script, however skillfully, behind radio microphones, they also want you to experience the historical context. These shows are written and told in the style of two different authentic series, complete with commercials (fortunately few) and some announcer banter replete with pun wars. The stories themselves are interesting for the plot twists, but the real star of the show is the presentation, as the actors work behind what appear to be old-fashioned microphones and introduce us to what used to be a dominant art form.
Finally, my Arts Editor and I agree that The Zoo Story featured strong performances from its two talented actors. As neither of us cares for Theater of the Absurd, it left us a bit cold, but then that may have been the point.
