Fringe 2012: So We Thought We Could Act
Photo courtesy of The Beast/Monamie Prods.
The Beast/Monamie Prods
Friday, July 6, 1:15 p.m.
Saturday, July 7, 10:30 p.m.
Monday, July 9, 4:30 p.m.
Tuesday, July 10, 1:15 p.m.
Friday, July 13, 11:00 p.m.
Sunday, July 15, 5:15 p.m.
Tarragon Theatre Extra Space (30 Bridgman Avenue)
Two young girls longing to be actresses make an all-too-familiar deal with the Devil (who looks and sounds an awful lot like one-time internet sensation Strongbad), by offering him their souls if they have not landed legitimate parts by the time they are each 90. The show spans decades, highlighting various failures and a long-time rivalry with a French ingenue classmate. The energy and chemistry between the two leads (Rena Hundert and Helen Prandekas) is infectious even as some of the jokes and bits fall flat. And if the songs range considerably in quality, we can be consoled by the fact that at least they are all quite short. Dan Derkson proves his versatility with every appearance, playing all of the male roles in the show, from Elvis Presley to Hulk Hogan. The most welcome element, though, is a pervasive sense of fun. But that spirit of levity isn’t quite as contagious here as one would hope.