IN THE PONY PALACE/ FOOTBALL (Half Saddle): Fringe Review 80

Excepted from thINKingDANCE. Published with kind permission.

I’ve been surrounded by football for as long as I can remember, but I’ve never once had the desire to play until Tina Satter and Half Straddle came along. I finally saw some appeal; you’re part of this special club, all of you sharing the same secret language, and working towards the same goal, with great seriousness and drive, and an abundance of camaraderie.

in-the-pony-palace-football-half-saddleAnd maybe I could finally imagine myself involved in this popular but beleaguered national sport because in Satter’s play, all roles are populated by women and transgendered folks. It doesn’t hurt that the wide receiver, in this kick-ass parallel universe, gets to wear gold moon boots. The typical sports drama is so rife with predictability and tired tropes that it’s just plain delicious to see them subverted, with dialogue like “I thought this player was a golden unicorn in the last game.” The presentation is recognizable, but slightly askew, and ten times more fun. Read the full review on thINKingDANCE.net. [Christ Church Neighborhood House, 20 North American Street] September 17-19, 2014; fringearts.com/in-the-pony-palacefootball.

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