By Liz Eichler
Cincy Fringe 2024 is amazing. So many full houses. Powerful storytelling. Important and soulful stories, fun laugh-out-loud shows, and many in-between or both. Here are my top 3 picks so far:
Cincy Fringe 2024 MUST SEE: Songs Without Words (or the Mendelssohn Play) by Jennifer Vosters
This show is generating a lot of buzz for 3 reasons: 1) It is educational 2) it is superbly written 3) it is superbly performed.
Educational: This original show delves into the minds of both Fanny and Felix Mendelssohn, two musical geniuses from early 1800s (You’ve heard “The Wedding March”?). But it is not just about musical geniuses, it addresses gender roles as well. Fanny is the elder sibling, and even her brother admits to her outstanding talent–so much so that he always seeks her guidance. As children, they both draw crowds for their skill and imagination. However, as an adult, Fanny languishes–she is not “allowed” to have a career in music. Felix’s star rises–because he is male and can pursue his career with passion, AND always has Fanny as his biggest advisor when stuck on a piece.
Well Written: Gorgeous turns of phrases. Her structure is a wonderful character arc for two. She brings modern language and humor to the characters, so the audience can better relate. She uses a lot of F words (only one is the one you are thinking).
Superbly Performed: Her transitions are precise as she pops between the two characters. She supports our understanding when she is Fanny with either long hair or her baton as a hair pin. Her teenage Felix is fantastic; his passion is unbridled and a bit awkward, hers is harnessed yet warm. She is impeccably dressed, her jacket, waistcoat, and tie are perfect. Another performer/audience member, Ingrid Garner, said we are drawn to her “shining moon of a face.” She is mesmerizing, like-able, self-effacing and forms connections with her audience due to amazing eye contact.
Again, this is a must see.
MUST SEE: Knight, Knight by Madeleine Rowe
Knight, Knight is a laugh-out-loud audience participation show. Writer and performer Madeleine Rowe (from Minneapolis) has a simple premise: a knight pulls the sword out of the stone and becomes king. But there is also his horse…
Ms. Rowe commands her audience with an impish smile. Admirably, she is fully committed to making us laugh with her tongue-in-cheek performance. Kudos to her sound team which is key to this show. What a fun and light show. Lots of audience participation. “She clowns well,” according to another performer/audience member.
MUST SEE: Eleanor’s Story: An American Girl in Hitler’s Germany by Ingrid Garner
So well polished and detailed. Also educational. Ingrid Garner (from Los Angeles) shares she has been doing this show for about 10 years. Professionalism and love is evident in her storytelling.
Eleanor’s Story is based on the real stories from Ingrid’s grandmother, Eleanor. In 1939, her grandmother’s family moved from New Jersey to Germany. Eleanor was 9. While on the boat, Germany declared war on Poland. The situation goes from bad to worse, and then horrific.
It is a story of a girl, a family, hope, and pride of being an American. She puts a very human face on the tragedy of war. Also, it illustrates how easy it is to fall in line behind a dictatorship, just to blend in. As she is the granddaughter, we know it ends positively for this family, but the war scarred her. Instead of closing off these memories, bravely when she was about 70, Eleanor Ramrath Gardner wrote the book Eleanor’s Story (yes, you can purchase it from Amazon).
The production details are impressive and thoughtful. There is an aged trunk, 2 chairs, and a few carefully selected props. She is intentional about lighting and sound, as well as her well-fitting dress which evokes a period in the past, but could also be worn today.
This piece is very well written, and may even bring some tears, yet is an important piece to experience.
Cincy Fringe 2024 Continues
Cincy Fringe 2024 continues through June 15. Explore the full schedule and get your tickets at the Fringe Box Office TODAY, as most shows are selling out.
