THE MARIN FRINGE FESTIVAL
THE FRINGE OF MARIN
Reviewed by Jeffrey R Smith of the San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle
The Dominican University Drama Department is currently presenting a Fringe Festival.
It is the Fringe of Marin and it is an opportunity to enjoy six plays for the price of one.
The shows are performed in two alternating cycles.
Each cycle is independent of the other—the truth is, you should catch both.
Whether you see one or both, you are certain to find something you enjoy.
Artistic director DR Annette Lust has wisely stacked the deck for this season’s offerings.
Strutting her best stuff first, one cycle begins with WINTER MEETING.
As Gene Hackman says in GET SHORTY “It’s a grabber.”
Immediately the audience senses much of the story is remaining purposely unsaid.
Furthermore, there is an auguring that what is unsaid will prove most important.
The playwright baits the hook and the cast reels in a captivated audience.
Structurally the show is great; yet the superb acting deserves much of the credit.
While the plot line may be a little transparent at the onset, that peek is the teaser.
A small town girl, Jennifer, does nothing heroic after getting pregnant as a teenager.
She allows the petty morality of her town and family to completely overrun her life.
In a Greek Drama her lack of heroics would have had stronger consequences.
The point is that by not taking arms against a sea of unruly forces, stuff happens still.
BAD COFFEE is a very funny concept.
Cindy Brillhart-True shows real subtlety in her acting.
In this cycle, MS True deserves the Oscar.
MS True acts with transparency: the audience understands what her character is thinking.
A rare commodity on any stage let alone amateur fringe productions.
To her credit MS Brillhart-True will not be dinged for over animating in this piece.
She clearly understands that nuance can pack a big wallop and bellow the message.
The audience knows information is registering internally without the histrionics.
The news of a husband’s poisoning elicits no conspicuous outward reactions in the wife.
As Sherlock Holmes said, “The dog did nothing unusual the night of the murder: now that’s unusual!”
The lack of an overt reaction creates a mystery: perhaps the wife is glad about the poison.
MS Brillhart-True conceals her reaction too when the poisoned husband arrives for lunch.
Again, more mystery is created.
Is she disappointed or relieved that the husband is still ambulatory?
Does she love her husband or does see him as a cash cow?
This play, MS True and real life prod the audience to speculate.
FINALE as a good one-act, but could have been better as a full-length play.
There was so much compressed into this one-act.
It could be a trailer.
A pair of actors: Julie and Kevin, performing Othello have an affair.
Another pairing of actors Ben and Julie have a winning chemistry on stage.
That chemistry ends when Ben has an affair with bimbo Nancy.
Bimbo Nancy has an epiphany on stage: she realizes she cannot act.
News arrives that Julie has had a collision, on the highway, naturally with a big rig.
Kevin and Ben are stunned by the news of Julie’s wreck.
Is this a one-act play or a plot synopsis of a two-month chunk of soap opera?
This skit successfully bridges the chasm between the hokey and the melodramatic.
DON’T JUST LIE THERE has a nice feel: a bit of eschatology.
Its an upbeat piece on death, with a happy, after death, ending.
Imbedded in the piece are some good lessons for the living.
For example: Don’t wait until you are dead to communicate with your spouse.
In the absence of unequivocal proof of an after-life, it could be too late.
BEBUT has excellent acting although the script should be a work in progress.
Susan Donnelly does a fine job depicting the wide assortment of emotions required.
The flow of the action is not smooth enough to promote a clear understanding.
Let's just call it a mystery and enjoy it as such.
STREETSINGER is a great piece of work.
It is a very good depiction of the dog-eat-dog street life in Amsterdam.
The script needs to better explain Dutchie’s changed reaction to Dragonchaser.
Why does Dutchie come back and become so friendly with Dragonchaser?
Her changed attitude toward him is not clearly accounted for.
Does she know he has money in his pocket?
Very nice vocal work by Cynthia Thompson-Smith make this show a must.