A 15-year-old girl and a 52-year-old man run away together in 52:15. (Photo by Kiran Grewal)

By DCist contributor Allie Goldstein

Reminds us of: Lolita meets absurdist modern dance.

Flop, Fine or Fringe-tastic: Fine.

52:15 is a familiar story told in an unfamiliar way. A 15-year-old girl runs away with her 52-year-old teacher. Is it romantic or disgusting? A love story or a crime? The 100th Monkey Theatre Ensemble explores these questions in a 50-minute performance that integrates modern dance, dramatic monologues, and song.

The story is disjointed and at times difficult to follow, as if the audience is meant to piece it together. It’s told by a rotating set of narrators, who examine the evidence with the precision of a crime scene investigator and the inquisitiveness of a therapist. Not all scenes advance the plot, but most of them are interesting. A dance number that incorporates scooters and a symbolic “deflowering” scene that involves a red cloth and a toy unicorn stand out.

However, some of the more experimental aspects of the show—in particular, the fact that the actors frequently switch roles, with several of them playing both the teenage girl and the older man at different points—seem to send conflicting messages. On one hand, the teacher is every man who has had a mid-life crisis and craved some attention: So common is his plight that he could literally be played by anyone. On the other hand, we are asked to consider whether there might be real love embedded in this illicit relationship, a possibility that is difficult to entertain given the lack of meaningful character development.

Nevertheless, to see nearly all the performance modes Fringe has to offer, plus the requisite absurdity, in under an hour? This is a good ticket.

Where to see it: Blind Whino, 700 Delaware Ave SW.

When to See It: Friday, July 27 at 7:15 p.m., Saturday, July 28 at 2 p.m., or Sunday, July 29 at 11 a.m.