(Courtesy of Capital Fringe)
Capital Fringe is a massive undertaking, boasting more than 100 shows over only a few weeks. There’s no easy way to sift through the seemingly bottomless offerings on any given night. Until now, that is. We’ve done the legwork for a full weekend of shows—now all you have to do is buy your tickets and go see a show, or two, or five.
Friday
6:15 p.m. @ Gallaudet University
Prison Break, Incorporated: It seems only fitting to celebrate the end of the work week with a (very literally) escapist comedy. The premise: “A realty mogul registers her dog walker son and life coach friend for an event at a prison-cum-wellness center. They’ll be inmates until the adventure ends in a footrace/’escape.’ In between, there’s yoga, kombucha and reefer madness.”
8:15 p.m. @ Logan Fringe Arts Space
The Greatest Science Fiction Show (No One’s Ever Seen): You could spend your Friday night at home watching TV, or you could watch other people try to watch TV instead. This show follows a young woman on a quest to find a long-lost sci-fi show. DC Theatre Scene says the show offers “no shortage of giggles, paired with some heartwarming moments.”
10:15 p.m. @ Logan Fringe Arts Space
Amelia Earhart…IN SPACE!: This mile-a-minute, reference-heavy comedy about Amelia Earhart’s adventures on Neptune thoroughly charmed us with its spirit of gleeful anarchy. Bonus: Half the audience sits in a “splash zone,” where the cast sends fake blood and other liquids throughout the performance.
Saturday
12:15 p.m. @ Logan Fringe Arts Space
The Golden Smile: The description for this 1950s period piece promises “absurdism, vulgarity, music and mental health”—a perfect combination to wake you up after a long work week.
1:45 p.m. @ National Museum of Women in the Arts
22 Boom: Why see a single play at a time when you can cram 22 into a little over an hour? Nu Sass Productions presents a whirlwind of short plays, including a new one for each performance. And check back for our review afterwards.
3:30 p.m. @ Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Library
Perfect Liars Club: “Imagine being engrossed in the most gripping story you’ve ever heard, and then finding out it’s a lie,” our Christina Sturdivant wrote of this unconventional storytelling performance. You’ll hear four stories and then ask follow-up questions in an effort to suss out the liar. Get ready to play detective.
6 p.m. @ Gallaudet University: Eastman Studio Theatre
Juiced: This “sex-positive, gender-mashing, genre-defying, non-objectifying, rock-n-roll performance” was one of the highlights of the festival’s preview event on June 24. In a four-minute snippet from the 50-minute show, the three stars wowed the crowd with unflappable energy and some enthusiastic water-gun deployment. One can only imagine even more exuberance with a longer timeframe.
7:45 p.m. @ Gallaudet University: Eastman Studio Theatre
Let Trump Be Trump: Just a day after the announcement of the presumptive GOP nominee’s running mate, get a glimpse of what a Trump administration might look like. We found it surprisingly sympathetic and nuanced—two words rarely associated with Donald Trump, whether you support him for president or not.
10:30 p.m. @ The Argonaut
An Indian Comedian: How Not to Fit In: Wrap up your evening with a playful, provocative stand-up routine from Krish Mohan, who makes no secret of his Indian heritage and has no problem making jokes about it. We were impressed when Mohan handled some surprising interruptions at a show last weekend. His relaxed demeanor will keep you entertained even after a long day of Fringe-ing.
Sunday
2 p.m. @ Gallaudet University, Elstad Auditorium
Am I There Yet?: What constitutes adulthood in 2016? How do you know when you’re doing what you’re supposed to be doing? This production seeks to answer these questions with dance and audience interaction. DC Metro Theater Arts found much to enjoy in this “delicately interwoven visual interpretation of life experiences.”
3:45 p.m. @ Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Library
Jamie and Duncan’s Glorious Suicide at the End of the World: This high-concept comedy sounds like I Am Legend with more laughs and twice the survivors. Contemplate your own mortality and that of this humble planet while taking in this darkly comedic thought experiment.
5:30 p.m. @ Atlas Performing Arts Center
GLACIER: A Climate Change Ballet: Speaking of the end of the world, this interpretive dance performance visualizes the ramifications of global warming. Believe the hype — climate change is very real, and this show depicting it is an “aching beauty,” we thought.
8:30 p.m. @ Atlas Performing Arts Center
The House of Yes: The June preview event teased a juicy melodrama with darker edges from this production of THE Theatre Company. Watch out for Michelle Polera’s nuanced, witty rendering of a young woman struggling with diagnosed psychological turmoil.
10 p.m. @ Logan Fringe Arts Space
A Romp Around Uranus with Special Agent Galactica: That title alone should tell you almost everything you need to know. Here’s what you can expect from this show, according to its description: “Bessie Smith, the Multiverse, Groucho Marx, hired assassins, Mick Jagger, the Bible, scat singing, Thomas Becket, 1968 music festival, a talking spaceship and enemy fire.” If that’s not the best way to close out a busy weekend of theater, I’m not sure what is.
See here for more of DCist’s Capital Fringe 2016 reviews.
