FRIGID Fringe Festival 2023 (Part 6)
The 17th Annual FRIGID Fringe Festival is underway in New York City. This three week event is an open and uncensored downtown theater festival that gives artists an opportunity to let their ingenuity thrive in a venue that values freedom of expression and artistic determination. Many of this year’s performances are livestreamed so there are ample opportunities to see some Indie theater works and support the artists who develop and perform them.
Cold Feet: A Comedy Extravaganza
Pop culture references can be effective for finding humor easily shareable with an audience. Cold Feet: A Comedy Extravaganza employs this methodology right from the start. In the first sketch, a character named John states “through the miracles of cloning technology” they have “isolated the cold feet gene”. The “fine people” of the audience are here to “witness the secrets of our research”.
The skit ends rather quickly and then a song is sung. Consulting the script I learn that John’s full name is John Hammond. All three performers play multiple versions of him. Google aids in my understanding. John Hammond is a character in the Jurassic Park franchise. Ah, now I get the DNA mention.
Why do all three face away from the audience and pantomime masturbation? Ah, a related reference to a comment Richard Attenborough as Mr. Hammond makes in the movie. I had no idea what was going on so it was a confused rather than comedic opening for me. Not every joke is made for every person however.
Cold Feet is a series of short sketches interspersed with guitar songs. Shelley the orangutan is a character which links some of the stories. Orangutans have a “vigorous and passionate fuck style”. This material is firmly in randy young men territory but there is some promise in that simian concept.
A spelling bee contains the word anticipation leading to a surprising and amusing use in a requested sentence. “Stereotypes” attempts parody. Italian Andy wears a green cap (Luigi reference!) and declares “les get out of here and go get a big pizza pie with the gabagool and fresh mozarell”.
Cottonwood gets laughs in a stand up section. He receives a bank alert for suspicious activity. He paid a bill on time. Definitely chuckle worthy. There are funny bits on being bisexual and non-binary. Being non-binary causes him to “get mad at myself for leaving the seat up”.
This extravaganza has many moments which feel like inside baseball. References which are near and dear to the performer’s hearts – Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles – seem underdeveloped for wider consumption. The camaraderie is evident on stage. Some additional tweaking may help warm those cold feet.
Running Scared
“What am I missing?” Bryan Berlin asks this question in his conversational chronicle about running. How do people “experience the void?” If you are a runner, know one, considering becoming one or just perplexed as to its appeal then Running Scared is likely to satisfy your curiosity.
Mr. Berlin performs a thoughtful meditation on this widely popular sport. He begins in school wanting to join the soccer team with friends. A bout with a warm up mile during tryouts results in “never going back”. He does realize joining a less intense co-ed rec league in town was fun. Something is kindled but lying dormant.
Sitcom writer was the desired job after college. He recounts a “job adjacent” on a reality television series for the Travel Channel. An associate producer role requires him to do every task that no one else wants. Unfortunately, or fortunately, he is recruited to do a little running while filming one episode. The retelling is sharply rendered and highly entertaining. His soon to be raging passion is stoked.
Running becomes more than physical exercise. The activity enables friendships to form while living in New Hampshire and the Reach the Beach tag team fundraiser. Later in Brooklyn he seriously trains for half marathons. A girlfriend jumps in to run together as “it is an important part of your life”.
From school years to the advent of Covid, Mr. Berlin gently weaves his tale of embracing his unabated love for running with the common trials and tribulations of everyday life. The performance ends at this point in his life. The story is unfinished. His devotion is resolute and he comes to realize how much this activity means to him personally. Be warned. You will want to eat a donut after absorbing the beautifully paced Running Scared. Blueberry cake was an excellent choice.
Performances at the Frigid Fringe Festival are running through March 5, 2023. Two dozen shows are performed multiple times at either the Kraine Theater or UNDER St Mark’s. Tickets can also be purchased for many shows via livestreaming as well.