I, PEASEBLOSSOM (Curio): 2017 Fringe review

peaseblossom-curio-review-fringeI, PEASEBLOSSOM is a lark, even compared to its light-hearted inspiration, A Midsummer Night’s Dream. The title character (Brian McCann), dreams of the other play’s events, and tries to set things right. This, however, is not your traditional fairy. He and his musical counterpart, Paul (Paul Kuhn), are slightly frumpy, bearded middle-aged men with patchy wings and neon hair.  Peaseblossom makes audience members act out the play and ad-libs crude and funny comments while Paul plays anachronistic theme music for them.

  The play meanders along pleasantly and distractedly. Peaseblossom doesn’t have a great memory, and has to ask Paul for lines. He teaches kids bad words, awkwardly hits on ladies, and does a tassel dance in his naked dream. All this aside, it really is a fun play for families. Some of the kids were cast as kings, and the show maintains and perhaps introduces them to the playful irreverence of Shakespeare. And as the light dwindles in the cemetery, there seems to be no better way to spend the last nights of summer.

[Woodland Cemetery, 4000 Woodland Ave]. September 13-17, 2017; fringearts.com/event/i-peaseblossom

 

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