Reviewed in this batch: A WOMAN IN BERLIN, HEARTLESS and FROM RUSSIA, WITH LOVE
A WOMAN IN BERLIN – Nimbus
M 8/3 8:30; Th 8/6 7:00; Sa 8/8 4:00
“Now is the time for our revenge!” crowed a Red Army commander in 1945 as the Soviet army viciously ravaged Germany. A Woman In Berlin, by “Anonymous,” is perhaps the best evocation we have of what the Germans endured – every woman in Berlin was raped, at least once. The book is, justly, famous in Germany. An excellent film adaptation has been made. There’s no self-pity, at all, in A Woman In Berlin. It effectively raises the question: did Germany get what it deserved? As one character memorably says (in the movie), “If they did to us what we did to them, there wouldn’t be a German left alive.” Weighty, substantive material, well worth doing.
But. A Woman In Berlin suffers from a severe technical problem: the actor, Eva Barr, is very hard to hear. Partly this stems from Nimbus Theater’s a/c blower. Partly it derives from the thick German accent Barr uses. And partly it’s result of the actor not resonating properly. I strained mightily and caught, at best, 50% of the one woman performance. Perhaps your ears are less agéd than mine. But I cannot, unfortunately, recommend this show.
HEARTLESS – Nimbus
Su 8/2 5:30; M 8/3 10:00; F 8/7 10:00; Sa 8/8 5:30
Another Fringe-style performance piece impossible to accurately describe. Heartless lacks a summarizable plot. Coherent story build. Developed characters.
What it doesn’t lack is energy, power, verve and zest. The three young performers – Sean Hansberry, Greta Jaeger and Parker Jenné – stomp their way onto the stage while beating a rhythm and singing a wordless melody (the show’s music was created and is played by the über-talented Joseph Yé). They then play a series of scenes (the play is scripted and directed by Emilia Allen) which are fascinating, but are also, well, pointless. One repeated pattern (I think): the actors revert to childishness and are then brought into worldly maturity by the other performers. But I could be wrong! I probably am! Who cares if Heartless makes no sense. It’s fun, and exhileratingly performed. Kudoes to Impossible Salt Co. for winning the Fringe lottery and bringing Heartless forward.
If conventional storytelling is something you require, then Heartless may not be for you. Ah, but you’re a Fringer and you don’t care about conventionality. Check this one out.
FROM RUSSIA, WITH LOVE – Andrew Riverside Presbyterian Church (403 8th Ave SE)
Su 8/2 5:30; W 8/5 8:30; F 8/6 5:30 & 8:30; Sa 8/7 5:30 & 8:30
Zowie! Yee-ha! Shazaam!
What can I say? This is a terrific show. For pure charm and inventiveness, for exquisite musical talent (and an unusual, to say the least, choice of songs; I will never again hear “I Got You, Babe” without thinking of Inga and Dmitri) From Russia, With Love can’t be beat. Created and performed by I and D,  the show has the tiniest of plots: the dynamic duo decide to emigrate from Russia to America, land of dreams and weird pop songs. They recount their journey (occasionally) but mostly they sing, with style and exuberant energy.
At the performance I attended there were eight (8) people in the audience. This is ridiculous! You must attend this show. Inga and Dmitri offer perhaps the best value available for your Fringe dollar.
The “Andrew Riverside Presbyterian Church” is not. Don’t waste time looking for it. It’s a modern apartment building. I and D perform From Russia, With Love in what amounts to a common room. FWIW.
Wowdow!