Michael Gougis

"Intrusive Thoughts" left me pondering my views of myself and my sense of justice in the world. I want to think that my dark thoughts of revenge and punishment for evildoers are objective and universal, yet I was left thinking of how easy it is for people to construct self-justifying rationalizations for acts that are rooted in traumas and past events that they aren't even aware of. Intense performance, and something that left me thinking afterward.

Bremner is an amazing storyteller and vocalist, and this show veers from one element to the next, grabbing you in the first instance and then hurling you into the next chapter. "Onwards!" charges along, then pauses for introspection, then hits the gas again, leaving the audience as a passenger on a mesmerizing ride where you're never quite sure where you are going. Worth it for Bremner's vocals alone, everything else simply makes it more and more intoxicating.

"The Debate" was a performance and piece that challenged you to follow along, spinning its narrative in the language of the absurd. It resonated with me on an emotional level rather than a literal one, and it was exactly what I want to see when I go to Fringe shows. Highly recommended.