ON THE FRINGE: It's so hard to say goodbye

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ON THE FRINGE: It's so hard to say goodbye

POSTED: Monday, September 20, 2010, 7:00 PM

The cool fall days that follow the culmination of the Live Arts/Fringe Fest always feel a little weird, like the moments that come after the mad dash to open presents on Christmas morning. It's all over, and it's a total bummer. My eyes feel less tired, sure, and I get to go home after work and not leave again till the next morning if I want to.

Photo | Neal Santos

The cast of my favorite 2010 Live Arts show, Cankerblossom

But of the 17 shows I saw this year, so many are still fresh in my mind and I don't want to lose my Fringe buzz just yet. Here are my top three shows of the year:

CANKERBLOSSOM >> I saved what ended up being my best show for last. Whimsical, hilarious, moving, silly, serious, totally magical. I was in love with all the characters, but Hinako Arao's whacked-out performance style kinda steals the show.
ETTY >> To be honest I wasn't exactly expecting to love ETTY, the story of a twentysomething Jewish woman living in Amsterdam during the Nazi takeover of Holland. But Susan Stein's performance was absolutely mesmerizing, heartbreaking, gorgeous.
THE SUN ALSO RISES >> If you can hold my attention for three-and-a-half hours (and I don't think I'm alone here), you've succeeded. I'd seen Gatz two years ago, and was just as impressed with the Elevator Repair Service's take on Hemingway as I was with their seven-hour Fitzgerald retelling.

What were your favorite Live Arts/Fringe shows? Share in the comments if you, like me, aren't ready to say goodbye. P.S. If the withdrawal is just too painful to bear, there are a few shows still going on post-Fringe. Among them: Titus Andronicus. Check it out here, or visit citypaper.net/fringe to read reviews of the 71 shows we saw over the last two weeks.

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