Old Man Sallow Who Lives on Crypt Rock
Five young actors put together a show telling the life of their local legend, Old Man Sallow. They’ve barely rehearsed and everyone has a different idea of what the show is about, however, it’s opening night of the show and this is their only shot to prove themselves. A comedy about community, theatre, and growing up.
I loved this show, but it is never okay to trick people into believing they're watching a comedy and then bombarding them with a story about grief. As someone whose parents are both dead when the show ended, I broke down to the point of having to call a friend to take me home instead of taking the bus. This is a good show, the actors do such a wonderful job of portraying different ways of handling grief and how we try to move on, and don’t get me wrong it is hilarious. I understand why they don’t have death or grief (both apply for different reasons) in the content warnings as they use it as a plot point, but if your show can be ruined by people being aware of triggering content then you are doing something wrong! And I don’t believe the show would be ruined if they warned people, as I was able to guess the ending after the first 5 or so minutes and it still broke me.
I used boss quiet comfort headphones and a tangle, I should have also used sunglasses as they have an uncovered light bulb as a prop on stage (it does work very well, but it is bright). There is also a backing track during the "intermissions" that is both thematic and annoying, headphones definitely help.
It surprises me that a show that seems to truly understand grief is so negligent of the feelings of the people it represents. With the way they represent this show, I would not recommend it, but with a couple of changes to their description and some more content warnings I would.
From the moment you enter the venue, the show is already underway. You get a glimpse of some young performers getting ready and shaking out their nerves before the curtain goes up. From there, you're treated to a wonderful blend of the play they're performing, as well as the interpersonal drama going on behind the scenes between acts. The cast was absolutely phenomenal, with an electric chemistry between all of them. The chaos that unfolds was masterfully choreographed, with a story that ended up being far more heartfelt than I was expecting. Give this one a shot if you can!
Whew.... up and down and all around. This show really touched all corners. It was chaos, but made sense.... funny, (like really funny), touching, sad, with exceptional actors. The parts and the characters were extremely well matched with the players and there was such a chemistry there. The story made such sense in the end, but leading up to the ending where it came together was solid, well-written, well-acted and super storytelling! This is what fringing is about: the venue is well appointed and the lighting, the setting and the seating all added together to a great night.
With its creative use of stage and lighting, Old Man Sallow Who Lives on Crypt Rock was an ambitious and visually stunning play that held the audience's attention. Each scene's lighting changed in sync, adding to the atmosphere and making it easier to identify the play's numerous distinct moments. Characters switched between being onstage and offstage while still contributing to the main production, allowing the performance to experiment with presence and motion. This method gave the story more depth and gave the impression that it went beyond the on-stage action. A "play within the play," a moving piece that had genuine significance for each of the characters and gave the narrative emotional influence, was at its core. Even though the actors' energy was consistent, there were times when the performance felt a little chaotic. It was occasionally difficult to follow due to overlapping narratives and transitions, and some of the pieces didn't fit together completely. Even the more confusing scenes were nevertheless amusing because of the cast's commitment and energy, which held the audience's attention. Ultimately, Old Man Sallow Who Lives on Crypt Rock was a creative, dynamic, and emotionally compelling production that thrived due to the dedication and bold risk-taking of its performers.
Didn’t go in expecting much, but loved it by the end. Very deft switching from comedy to grief which isn’t easy. Fantastic slapstick comedy. Honestly just wonderful performances from the entire cast. I think it’s hard to act out earnestness in a young character without feeling really trite or even annoying, but I think they nailed it. I kind of wish 5 or 10 minutes were cut, as there were some moments that started to feel pretty long. Hope people take a chance on this one.