Baroque meets rococo in Barococo. (Photo courtesy of Capital Fringe)What is it they say time does when you’re having fun? It seems to be happening this month—Capital Fringe Festival 2018 is about to enter its last full week. That means you’re running out of time to see dozens of shows from a wide range of perspectives, genres, and levels of comprehensibility.
We’ve been seeing shows and posting reviews for the past two weeks. Check out all of our coverage here, and read on for some highlights from the week ahead. Remember: Each show has multiple performances, so click the links for more details on alternative dates.
FRIDAY, JULY 20
In an effort to diversify Fringe offerings further this year, the festival opened up a few slots for invited theater companies from outside the nation’s capital. Barococo from Happenstance Theater Company in Rockville, represents one such result of that effort. Enjoy the ornate style of baroque mixed with the excesses of rococo (now the title makes sense). (6:15 p.m. at Arena Stage)
Are you a theater skeptic who likes your stories conveyed on a large screen? Movie Magic Live! is a perfect way to use all that time you’ve spent in movie theaters: There’s trivia, scene re-creations, competitions, and more. Get ready to get involved—“the whole audience plays,” the description warns. (7:45 p.m. at Blind Whino)
The dating app yields a range of results in F*ck Tinder: a love story. (Photo courtesy of Capital Fringe).SATURDAY, JULY 21
You might think you don’t need to attend a one-man show to know that Tinder can take you to some strange places. But according to our reviewer Allie Goldstein, F*ck Tinder: a love story just might show you something new. (6:15 p.m. at Christ United Methodist Church)
Draupadi’s Arranged Marriage updates an ancient Indian epic to explore big questions: “sexual expression, education, fidelity, and equality and overcoming sexual abuse and objectification.” That’s a lot for two hours, but playwright Nishi Chawla, who has a Ph.D in English, is likely up to the challenge. (11 a.m. at Westminster Presbyterian Church)
Steampunk meets the monarchy in Gilded. (Photo courtesy of Capital Fringe)SUNDAY, JULY 22
A monarchy in decline, temptation in the air, dancers galore: Gilded sounds like a steampunk vibe. (4:15 p.m. at Westminster Presbyterian Church)
You’ve never seen Greek mythology like you’ll see it in Andromeda Breaks, featuring the intrepid Billie Krishawn, who appears in multiple Fringe shows this year. Krishawn plays the title character, but she’s no damsel in need of saving. Quite the contrary. (6 p.m. at Arena Stage)
Also, there’s yoga. (10 a.m. at Market SW)
MONDAY, JULY 23
No performances today. Use this day to contemplate the banality of existence. Or something.
14 tackles currently omnipresent political issues. (Photo courtesy of Capital Fringe)TUESDAY, JULY 24
It’s not for every mood or temperament, but 14 has a powerful message to share about the apocalyptic state of our nation’s gun violence landscape. (8:15 p.m. at St. Augustine’s Episcopal Church)
Yikes. 52:15 is based on a true story of a teacher running away with his student. And it’s centered around a journalist and a “trickster clown.” And the show description contains the phrase “sexual grooming.” We’re gonna need a minute—but how can you not check this out? (5 p.m. at Blind Whino)
Trying new things leads to … interesting results in PolySHAMory. (Photo courtesy of Capital Fringe)WEDNESDAY, JULY 25
Everyone goes through phases in life: a new hair color, a nearly unhealthy obsession with an obscure indie rock band, a brief foray into … polyamory? Fringe veteran Kate Robards documented this unexpected phase of her life and mined it for comedy and pathos in her new show PolySHAMory, which aims to have uncomfortable conversations about important subjects. (8:45 p.m. at St. Augustine’s Episcopal Church)
The creators of Hold the Tomato promise “bad jokes,” which is setting the bar awfully low, no? But it seems safe to assume they’re in on the ruse, and that they’ve put plenty of thought into this mixture of sketch, improv, and music. (6 p.m. at St. Augustine’s Episcopal Church)
Something’s not quite right with mom’s antiques in Shopworn. (Photo courtesy of Capital Fringe)THURSDAY, JULY 26
Our Lauren Landau thought Shopworn is a work in progress, but still a worthwhile comedy about what happens when woke meets pre-woke. (6:45 p.m. at United Christ Methodist Church)
Speaking of unhealthy obsessions, in Musical Therapy a woman grows so enamored with “Mr. Wonderful” that she’s willing to make other people unhappy in order to get what she wants. It’s that kind of craven opportunism that really endears a person to new acquaintances. A+ socializing strategy. (6:15 p.m. at Western Presbyterian Church)
