It’s sad to see Cincy Fringe 2024 come to an end, but the final weekend didn’t disappoint. I got to see Waiting for Laura, trueFRINGE, and The Last Witch in Ireland encore. I’m also excited for all of the Cincy Fringe 2024 winners!
Reviews by Christy Carson – Learn about LCT Reviewers
Waiting For Laura
Ben & Justin Present bring a much needed comedic break from the more serious shows I’ve been seeing with their show Waiting for Laura. Theatre buffs catch on pretty quickly to how this show parallels Waiting For Godot and can appreciate the repetitive play between Ben and Justin as they act out anticipated scenarios to ease their nerves. With contemporary references and great comedic timing, though, Waiting For Laura brings something for everyone, not just the theatre lovers. It’s easy to sit back, relax, have fun, and dig for a little deeper meaning if you’d like to.
Between comedic bits, we see more about Ben and Justin’s dynamic and learn more about what makes them tick. While Ben’s reserved and professional approach may seem more appropriate at first, Justin’s free spirit provides more than a foil to his friend for the sake of laughs. They share some powerful dialogue about the work that matters and the truths they hold. I love Justin’s bold testament followed by a simple question that may resonate with how many of us (artists or otherwise) feel at times. “This is my truth. Is it too much?”
trueFRINGE
This year was my first time attending True Fringe, and I’m not sure why I missed it in the past! It’s hosted by True Theatre, which has shows several times a year at Memorial Hall with different themes. True Fringe was a collection of different artists sharing their stories about how they first connected with theatre. Art attracts, connects, heals, and inspires diverse people with different backgrounds, and this is what we see in this collection of stories. If you like learning more about the artists you’ve seen onstage, mark trueFRINGE as a must-see every year.
The Last Witch in Ireland
InBocca brings us a contemporary dance concert crossed with spooky storytelling with a healthy dose of history and feminism built in. We’re introduced to Bridget Cleary, who describes herself as different, strange even, before we learn about this town’s fear of changelings. Her life is full of joy and curiosity, but she doesn’t fit in with how they believe women should behave.
Each scene leads us through a different element where we see how Bridget interacts with her world. The dance in the forest had me hooked, taking in the colorful choreography that transformed three performers and a wooden plank into a magical expression of music, movement, and wonder. Similar to how a great musical transitions seamlessly from speech to song, this show uses dance to build upon the text and express more than words can. It’s well written, well cast, and well executed. I’m looking forward to seeing what this Cincinnati group does next!
Cincy Fringe 2024 Winners
Following the three encores on Saturday was the highly anticipated awards announcements! Congratulations to this year’s winners!
- Spirit of the Fringe: Layla Kubesh
- Critics Pick of the Fringe 2024: Songs Without Words
- Audience Pick of the Fringe 2024: Strong Bear
- All Access Pick of the Fringe 2024: Eleanor’s Story
- Artist Pick of the Fringe 2024: Knight, Knight
- Producer’s Pick of the Fringe 2024: Singing Into the Dark
That’s a wrap! Still hungry for more theatre? Good thing Cincinnati has a thriving arts community year-round! Follow LCT for theatre reviews and news and keep local theatre strong by buying tickets and season subscriptions. Want to re-live Cincy Fringe 2024? Check out the full grid of LCT reviews.
