Ten Fringe Festival Shows our theater critic won’t miss
There are almost 200 performances at this year's Fringe Festival. Here are 10 our critic is hoping to check out.
There’s so much to see at the Fringe Festival that it’s hard to come up with a list — or to see it all. But here’s what I’m looking forward to:
The Path of Pins or The Path of Needles by Pig Iron. I’m a fan of everything Pig Iron does, not that I have loved them all. This one is set in a mansion in Germantown, which makes me intrigued, and requires audience participation, which makes me nervous.
Food by Geoff Sobelle Sobelle has a worldwide reputation, and I like the idea of sitting around a table as theater, taking on food and culture — topics important and interesting to me. .
An Untitled Love by Kyle Abraham and A.I.M. dance company: Let’s start with the music — R&B legend D’Angelo — as a way into the ideas of self-love, Black love, hope, solace, and joy. There are many other dance offerings; because I’ve been trying to learn Spanish, I might also try out Mio/Tuyo/Nuestro by Carne Viva Dance Theatre.
Yes, We’re Ready, We’ll Split an Order of Fries for the Table — Does That Work for You by Mike Durkin and Nick Schwasman This is set in the Melrose Diner: ‘nuff said. In cooperation with the Mural Arts Program and residents of Kensington, Durkin also created and you will know it’s done when the oil stops bubbling. Works built in collaboration with neighbors have been showing up a lot recently, but I have not seen one yet. Will it be too amateurish? Will it be too preachy? Those will be my questions going in.
» READ MORE: A Fringe Festival super fan shares how to navigate this year’s lineup
Undersigned by Yannick Trapman-O’Brien During the pandemic, Trapman-O’Brien created TeleLibrary, where one audience member at a time connected via phone call with Trapman-O’Brien, pretending to be an automated recording. As the audience member chose options, the responses changed, making each individual conversation different. It was fantastic, so I would love to see what he does in person. He is also partnering with Jessica Creane in Fair Trade.
1000 miles: Celebrating the 10th Walk Around Philadelphia by JJ Tiziou: It’s not a performance and it is entirely participatory, one step at a time. Sign up and walk 10 miles from point-to-point on a portion of Philadelphia’s borders, choosing location by weekend. Beautiful and interesting, especially if you love our city.
BATH HOUSE by Gunnar Montana Montana is known for lavish sets and sexy theatricality. Plus, it will be staged at the Latvian Club, which means an opportunity for a pre- or post-show imbibing, always a draw for me.
Blind date at Cannonball Do you love to meet new people? Cannonball will pair ticket buyers with a stranger, give them drink vouchers, and equip them with pre-show icebreaking questions as well as post-show discussion topics.
Beyond these specific shows, I have a goal of seeing two productions on each night. Special consideration given for weird titles (Me and Jesus and Prince and Captain Jean-Luc Picard in a One Bedroom Apartment in the Bronx, as an example), and I would like to see something from Circus Campus Presents at the circus school in Mt. Airy. Comedy and satire must also be on the menu with Speech, A Lightning Rod Special Production, or maybe three shows worth of laughs at Crossroads Comedy Theatre, wrapping up with Black comedians Cab Washington and Marcely Jean-Pierre.
Philadelphia Fringe Festival Sept. 8-Oct. 2 with some events starting earlier or running later. Fringe office at 140 N. Columbus Blvd. at Race St., Phila. with shows staged in many locations. 215-413-1318. Fringearts.com Cannonball Festival at the Maas building, 1325 E. Randolph St. or the Crane Arts Building, 1400 N. American St., Phila. cannonballfestival.org or 856-441-2837; Crossroads Comedy Theater, at Theatre Exile 1340 S. 13th St., Phila. 215-650-7360 xroadscomedy.com Circus Campus Presents, 6452 Greene St., Phila. fringearts.com
Check individual venues for COVID protocols.