By Eric George Tauber
SAN DIEGO — The Book of Proverbs tells us that there’s a time to dance. Well, you won’t find a better time or place than the San Diego Fringe Festival. Now in its sixth year, our Fringe has grown from 52 productions over 3 days in 2013 to 90 productions over 11 days with venues on both sides of the border, more than doubling its economic impact. There are local and traveling artists including actors, dancers, comics, acrobats, mentalists, magicians and puppeteers. Some are family-friendly and others, not so much. Here are my impressions from closing weekend.
Taptastic! Tap Fever Dance Studio in PB was a BYOV (Bring Your Own Venue). As bright and lively as tap should be, these hoofers presented Rhythm and Broadway styles including a tribute to Rosie the Riveter and some not-so-old ladies who still “got it.” Musical styles included Swing, Pop, 90s Retro and even Reggae. The audience participated in a rhythm exercise, tap-history trivia and a cardio exercise, which really got my ticker going.
Doing their part to repair the world, proceeds to this show went to their programs for military families, scholarships and Dancers with Disabilities. They teach dancers from age two to eighty-two, on crutches, across the autism spectrum and even the deaf. More power to them.
Fatu Na Totó: Most of us don’t know from New Zealand’s indigenous Maori people. This group is working to change that. Similar to Hawai’i, the men are bare-chested and everyone is barefoot while their bodies gracefully mimic ocean waves. No culture is static, so they changed from traditional skirts to jeans in a fusion of traditional and modern dance, even singing a translation of “Makin’ Whoopee.” Yet it wasn’t all celebratory. They have their tsuris like everyone else. But as it was mostly presented in Maori, it was pretty hard to follow. Preserving your native tongue is essential to your heritage. I get that. However, subtitles would have made the difference between talking at us and genuinely communicating with us.
Wicked Wizards: A Potter Parody. Turning Tydes Theatre Co. of Oceanside presented Act I of a mash-up between Harry Potter and Wicked. The acting is utterly campy and some singers are clearly stronger than others. With cheap wigs and costumes, it reminded me of a high school musical after budget cuts quixotically determined that ‘the show must go on.’ You have to love the heart and humor that goes into putting this on. Act II will be presented during Comic-Con and I can’t think of a more appreciative house.
Circles & Curves. It ain’t no family show. It’s Burlesque strip tease by Hoop Unit and the Vaudeville Vixens. So it’s just as well that my mother never reads my articles. She still likes to think of me as her nice Jewish boy. I found the “sexy schoolgirl” routine rather disturbing, but they won me over with their tributes to Moulin Rouge and All That Jazz.
Many feminists deride burlesque as exploitative of women. But what I saw were women boldly claiming the power of their sensuality. In a diverse array of body types, they shimmied and jiggled with confidence, clearly comfortable in their own skins. If anybody was getting played, it was me and I ain’t complaining.
Eleanor’s Story: Home is the Stranger. Ingrid Garner returned with part two of her Grandmother’s story, An American Girl in Hitler’s Germany. They rejoiced on VE Day, but life under Russian occupation was no great leg up from the Nazis. Lonely and haunted by the war, Eleanor Ramrath returns to America and tries to get on with her life. She feels very self-conscious in her shabby suit made from an old bed sheet and can’t get over the sheer abundance of food. She had lived not far from Buchenwald but only learns the extent of the Holocaust in history class. Ingrid Garner weaves a compelling tale with masterful craftsmanship. I saw many shows this weekend, but hers was the only one I gave a standing ovation.
Mesa Moves. I wanted to end the fest with some high-energy dancing and Mesa College sure delivered. Forty dancers presented Modern Dance and Hip-Hop to music by Bruno Mars, Beyoncé, Billie Holiday, Otis Redding and more. My standout favorite dancer was Kenneth Harlan, a tall and limber young man whose body flowed as smoothly as water. Cheers to Mesa College and the passionate exuberance of youth!
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While fringe festivals are always a very mixed bag, this year’s was not so well promoted and attended as last year’s. I almost missed the opening, thinking it was still a month away. While you have to expect some years to be better than others, I hope they work out the kinks in order to have continuing success. L’Chaim!
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Tauber is a freelance writer specializing in coverage of the arts. He may be contacted via eric.tauber@sdjewishworld.com