Grimm’s Faery Tales gears up for week 2

I’m still not sure if I’m going to be able to live down the Buffalo Bill “titty-dance” that I’m doing in this commercial anytime soon. It seems everyone is going out of their way to call me, come see me or flag me down across the backstage loading area to tell me that they saw it. At least people are seeing it, and the consensus appears to be that it is in fact both creepy and funny. I may not go out to a bar for a few weeks though …

All 3 reviews hit today, and while not stellar aren’t quite disappointing either. I had hoped perhaps that the show would have been reviewed more on the merits of it being a sketch show (that’s honestly how it was put together), but it seems to have been reviewed like a play by people who review plays for a living. That’s cool. As always, you’re never that good and never that bad, and Tampa is a town that a bad review often has no effect on ticket sales when people like the show. A Girl’s Guide to Chaos, anyone? I’m also a little partial to two of the patron comments we’ve gotten on the show. 🙂

My favorite two review quotes:

“Grimm’s Faery Tales, a sketch comedy-style reinvention of its classic source, has a lot going for it: a talented cast, some inspired antics, even entertaining program notes. If you enjoyed the company’s (abridged) shows – Shakespeare, the Bible, American history – you will be amused by Grimm’s.” – The Tampa Tribune

“The actors … all work at highest energy and damn the torpedoes.” – Weekly Planet

The first quote says a lot, and despite what might be considered a lack of objectivity on part I believe it’s very accurate.

Is it as spit-polished as the (abridged) plays? Certainly not. I also know for a fact those guys end up testing material in front of audiences for upwards of a year or more until they publish the plays for other people to do. And when we do the shows, we doctor them up a little more. I am very proud of what we have in Grimm’s, and it’s already grown immensely in the few public performances we’ve had. And you know what … it’s ours and it gives me so much hope for what we can do in the future.

Apart from the (abridged) genre – it’s also heavily influenced by SNL, Mr. Show, Monty Python and Kids in the Hall, and it’s geared towards younger folks. The jokes, the references, the language … like Kitefliers, it will probably speak more resoundingly to people in our own peer group.

Beyond reviews, beyond sales – We are having a great time doing something we enjoy, and audiences are enjoying it. They’re laughing, hooting, groaning, standing up at the end. How often do you see that in your local production of Miss Julie? By Sunday’s show we had hit a full stride and all left the theater feeling like we’d really done a good thing putting this show together. Now all I can do is cross my fingers that people come in the numbers they did for the first weekend. If they come, they will have a good time. That’s a promise.

I’ll even make YOU a promise, gentle reader. Come to the show this weekend. If you hate it (And aren’t already predisposed to being offended easily, or are some wingnut neocon), I’ll give you back your money out of my pocket. And maybe I’ll even do the titty-dance for you, if that’s your thing.

Hey – after a season of naked actors, goat sex, probing conversations about ghosts and infidelity, fraternicide and Italian socialism – can’t we just all have a good time and get our collective laugh on? I think we can all use that, right?

There’s no high art here in Grimm’s Faery Tales, ladies and gents – just high jinks and that’s exactly what we set out to do.

Hope to see you this weekend. If you come Sunday you can enjoy Sticks of Fire day at the theater, and maybe talk to one of your favorite local bloggers. After the Sunday show there’s also a talkback where you get the opportunity to ask questions about the show or process or business in general to the cast and crew.