Indy Theatre Habit

For the 6:00 show on the first Saturday of the 2008 Indy Fringe Festival, I just stayed put at Theatre on the Square and saw “Tastes Funny.”  This dazzling show is presented by “The Great Gondos,” aka Ranik Huszar and Daniel Oldaker.

It is a little bit shorter, time-wise, than the other Fringe shows I have seen so far, but it is worth every penny and then some of the admission price. 

I went to this show because I saw this stylish little couple at the Fringe Opening Night Preview Party on Thursday night, and they were just so adorable.  Plus, they came all the way from Australia to be a part of our Fringe.

However, I am recommending their show because it includes infectious energy, tandem juggling, impressive acrobatics, and hilarious puppetry. (At least I think that the funny tango-fight scene is most properly called a form of puppetry.)

It also includes Rani folding herself up into a teeny-tiny plexiglass box that her partner, Daniel, then tops with a handstand.  It is a wonderful, ”yikes!” finale.

(I am not spoiling the show by telling you about The Box since a photo of it has been featured in a lot of the Fringe’s advertising.)

This is basically a family-friendly show with just a fluorish or two of adult humor.  At one point, Rani spins plates on spikes protruding from her nipples, for example.  I don’t think that any parent would feel uncomfortable bringing kids to this show.  As an adult on my own, I loved it.

However, Lou Harry of the IBJ articulated something that I only realized I agreed with when I read his review:  this fun show would be even better with a more cohesive overall vision. 

For example, there is a great, on-going schtick about Rani’s flirtatious influence on the lighting and sound technician, and other riffs on Rani’s and Daniel’s relationship.  One of the “scenes” takes place in their “dressing room,” so there is the whole “life on the road, life of a performer” thing going on, too. 

In other words, they have room in which to hone their story, but there is already a lot of good material in it.

In the meantime, they have a wealth of talent, imagination, style, and creativity to bring to the table.  I am glad they brought their wealth over here to our Fringe.

By the way, when I was walking from the American Cabaret Theatre to Theatre on the Square Saturday afternoon, I passed a sort of castle made from cardboard cartons and duct tape.  I learned from mixed-media artist Jenny Elkins that this temporary, community art project had been initiated by the “Garage Artists Studio,” a collective of five artists, including Elkins, who have helping each other for three or four years. 

One of their group shows was recently exhibited at the Dean Johnson Gallery.  I think Elkins said that that show was called “The Transition Show.”  To prepare for that show, one of the Garage Studio Artists would create a piece and then pass it on to the next artist, who would then create a second piece based on the first, and so on, until they had five series of five pieces.

You know that my thing is performance art, but that visual art show sounded very cool.

I bring up Jenny Elkins and the Garage Artists Studio here because when she heard I was going to Fringe shows, she said, “Have you seen those cute little Australians yet?  They are staying with me, and they are so nice!  I am really glad to have them in my home.”

I am glad, too.

Hope Baugh – www.IndyTheatreHabit.com