The Fallout Fringe Fest Is A Blast! Part Five

By Erik Engman

Author, Clown and Improvisation Teacher, Theatre Critic EatMoreArtVegas.com

IG: ErikReviewsVegas

We’re reaching the home stretch with only a scant amount of days left of the Fallout Fringe Fest. Here is the penultimate batch of reviews. You can access the full schedule at www.falloutfringe.org/schedule.

Matt the Mind Noodler by Matt Donnelly  ★★★ ½ Satisfying

Nothing says Vegas more than a magic show, and it would be amiss for the Vegas-based Fallout Fringe not to have a magician. Matt the Mind Noodler is a great addition to the lineup this year. He was mentored by Penn & Teller and Piff the Magic Dragon, and he is a writer for Penn & Teller’s Fool Us. Being a magician (albeit an amateur one) I can assure you this guy knows his stuff. The magic was solid. That said, the show did take a while to get going. The audience did not seem to understand what was going on at first. They didn’t follow basic directions. (“Give me a number between 1 and 10. “13.” Facepalm.) But for me, that added to the fun. Matt’s dry, sarcastic delivery was hilarious, culminating in a great show that went by way too fast. I have to mention the wonderful Michael Spadoni, adding some great live background music. If you love magic like I do, you’ll enjoy this one very much. 

 @ Vegas Theatre Company: June 21 and 23

Teacher of the Year by Matt Martello  ★ Not Hungry

Be warned, there will be SPOILERS. I wasn’t sure if I would review this. On one hand, I was informed that the producers did not want to be reviewed. But on the other hand, I had other powers-that-be tell me that it’s not their call. This intrigued me to, at least, see what this show was about. After seeing it, I have decided to post a review, mainly as a service to the potential audience, which is the main reason we do this. The story revolves around a young teacher, Grace Williams, who teaches English Lit in a small Wisconsin High School. She is nominated for the prestigious Teacher of the Year award, but a certain explicit video surfaced years earlier, posted by an ex-boyfriend. What follows is the smearing of Grace’s reputation and the destruction of her career.

It's not a bad premise at all, but it's poorly executed. It’s not very well written. The ideas are there, but the script is poor and lacks substance and theme. Most of the acting is amateur, though with the material it’s hard to tell whether it’s the actors' fault or the script they had to work with. I did enjoy the performances of the lead, Holly Shaffer, who played Grace Williams, and her best friend/Union Rep, Tim Murphy, played with charm by Camryn Moody. For most of the performance I wasn’t sure what side the show fell on, as the story blamed the victim for the revenge porn, but it did ultimately seem to support her side, thankfully. Everything up until this point left me with the general feeling that even though it was not a great production, it had a good message underneath. But then the last scene happened, which disturbed me greatly. I won’t go into details, but the message I got is that the only way a woman can have agency in today’s world is by starting their own porn site. Not fighting the system, or rising above the fray, but to display yourself online for easy money. This came from out of nowhere. I think the intention was to turn the tables on the men who had been persecuting her, but in the end, it’s an ad for OnlyFans. Just unbelievable.

@ Vegas Theatre Company: June 21

Dressing Eva by RuBen Permel  ★★★★ Scrumptious

Welcome to the 2012 regional production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Evita! We are given a backstage pass by Dick (Kyle Jones) who leads us in, and someone had the audacity to give him a megaphone. After the lights go down, the backstage manager Carlos (José Anthony) narrates our tale as he monitors the back entry to the theater. We follow the antics of drama-queen dresser Blane (Tony Hayes) as he deals with his star actress Elise (Kimberly Arnold), who is fraught with emotions over her missing husband, whom she believes is cheating on her. This is a fabulous romp replete with over-the-top reactions, a few dozen mental breakdowns, and a show-stopper you must see to believe. Tony Hayes is a marvel as Blane, who easily carries this farcical play. Kimberly Arnold is fantastic as the diva who blows her fears out of proportion. José Anthony breaks the fourth wall with joyous energy and is the glue that holds this all together. I had a great time watching this show. Worth checking out.

@ Majestic Repertory: June 21, 22 and 23

The McEnfro Show by Jonas Woolverton  ★★★★ Scrumptious

Jonas McEnfro (Jonas Woolverton), the legendary tennis pro known for his anger issues, awakens from a coma. He leads us through his rehabilitation with meditation, a dating game, VR goggles, large inflatable balls, and a ping pong tournament. We are also introduced to his nemesis, Hair Agassi (also Woolverton) whose ego is almost a match for McEnfro’s. Woolverton is excellent as both the emotional, egotistical McEnfro and the overly-confident Agassi. The sketches are hilarious and full of energy, and the circus acts bring it to another level. The only criticism is that a few videos were very enjoyable but hard to see. There was no real screen to project on, but they did their best. Special mention to Emily Ajir as McEnfro’s dutiful assistant throughout. This was a very silly and over-the-top clown show, and well worth your time.

@ Vegas Theatre Company: June 21 and 22

 What: Fallout Fringe Fest

When: Through June 25, times vary

Where: Majestic Repertory, Vegas Theatre Company

Tickets: $10 - $15, https://www.falloutfringe.org/