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Comment from brian rogers
Date: August 15, 2008, 11:57 am

I personally wish there were more of a curatorial vision behind the festival. Or none at all, like edinburgh. People have been rehashing this argument for a long time, so I’m not saying anything new. I would love for elena to weigh in on this because I know she feels strongly about it (as well she should, it’s her festival)….Yes, I know that there is an adjudication process - I’ve participated in that process in the past - but when we’re talking 200+ shows, how managed can that process really be? I think consensus-driven selection processes are really really tough, if not unworkable.

Comment from Claudia La Rocco
Date: August 15, 2008, 12:11 pm

I would agree, especially in a city like New York, where it’s already impossible to see even most of the shows running at any given time, and where cheap tickets to truly experimental work aren’t a rarity.

I was thinking of the Fringe as the festival equivalent of the Strand bookstore - overwhelming quantity and really hit or miss quality (the poetry section is a particular disaster on the quality front). I would much rather go to a bookstore with fewer offerings but a greater sense of self.

Comment from Lucas
Date: August 15, 2008, 11:18 pm

I’ve been extremely pleased with the shows I have seen thus far at this years festival. I really think part of the problem is that the shows that get all of the publicity and coverage are those whose subject has to do with pop culture (Perez Hilton, Britney, Anna Nicole Smith) My favorite shows are actually the solo shows, two of which I am really looking forward to seeing, The Sound of One Hanna Clapping and Piccola Cosi. My advice, branch out and go see something that isn’t getting the attention it deserves. These are the hidden gems

Comment from Claudia La Rocco
Date: August 16, 2008, 10:05 am

Thanks for the pointers, Lucas - I would agree, definitely, about problematic media coverage. It’s a worsening cycle: as it’s been explained to me by insider Fringe folks, lots of participants angle to have a pop culture/outre sexual/absurdly contrived plot dimension in order to take advantage of what sells/gets attention. The quieter, ultimately more rewarding works often get lost in the shuffle.

Let us know if the solo shows you’re excited about seeing end up meeting your expectations or not.

Comment from Lucas
Date: August 16, 2008, 10:54 am

Claudia,

I really like your comparison to the Strand, it’s very true and overwhelming to choose which shows to see. However, there is also something very appealing to me about having so many choices and not knowing what to expect. I was fortunate enough to attend a rehearsal last night for a Solo Fringe Show called Piccola Cosi, written and performed by an amazing young woman named Aja Nisenson. She’s probably the youngest solo show performer in the festival as she is a recent Brown graduate. It’s a true Fringe gem but unfortunately probably won’t be seen by many. I’ll let you know what I think of others as I see them but I would definitely check this solo show out.

Comment from Claudia La Rocco
Date: August 16, 2008, 11:10 am

I can see the pleasures in that - I was chatting with one couple after a show, and was fascinated to hear them describe their strategies in figuring out which shows to see. They’ve made a real art form out of it, factoring in everything from which theater to the title to the type of show (they also opted for solo works whenever possible) to - all important - time and length …

I’m going to take a wild guess that you see a lot of theater? Are there particular festivals or presenters that you make a point of never missing, even if you don’t know much about the particular work, simply because you trust the curatorial sensibility at play?

I’ll see about checking out Nisenson …

Comment from Lucas
Date: August 16, 2008, 7:15 pm

I actually don’t get to see as much theater as I would like to see in NYC. I spend summers in New England so I have been catching some theater there namely at Williamstown Theatre. They do some phenomenal productions there. I do look forward to The Fringe Festival and the NYMF. I am drawn to solo performers like Nisenson who are a triple threat. They can act, sing and write and do it all very well. I’d be curious to hear your thoughts and that couple’s reaction to this performance. Do you know if there have been any other radio segments about the Fringe on WNYC lately? Have you spoken with other culturists or critics about their Fringe experiences this year?

Comment from Claudia La Rocco
Date: August 17, 2008, 12:18 pm

I haven’t been to Williamstown in a few years - what have been the standout productions for you of late, and what do you think of the offerings overall?

I don’t know of other radio segments, but will keep an eye out. I didn’t get into this topic with any other critics at the Fringe this year, but in talking to some of my colleagues, as well as artistic directors and producers, in advance of this post/on-air segment, the common thread among them seemed to be a sense of weariness when it comes to the Fringe, and a wish that the festival might be a bit more thoughtful in its selection process, even if this meant that fewer shows made it in. My experience in reviewing the festival these past few years has been that most of the work is pretty thin - even when it’s not terrible, it rarely leaves you with a full belly (this is obviously a different experience from what you have: when sent to review you can’t pick and choose, so you get a far more varied - and maybe representative? - taste of the festival as a whole).

I’m sure there are plenty out there who would disagree with me. I do remember hearing from reviewers who delight in the egalitarian, can-do spirit of the Fringe, and I can see the appeal of that.