Day 6 -- 5:30 p.m. Time Slot

Show: Concord, Virginia: A Southern Town in Stories

Company: Peter Neofotis

Venue: Gremlin Theater

Die Roll: 9


A few years ago now... let's say between 12 and 15... I used to work at a public radio station in Iowa. One of the programs that we ran on the weekends was called "Selected Shorts". It is a program upon which Broadway actors read short stories. This show reminded me of that radio program.

Why? Well, this wasn't a play. It was an author reciting two of his short stories. There are a lot of differences between plays and fiction in their delivery. For that matter, there are a lot of differences between how a storyteller tells a tale and how an author reads his own work. In this case, it was clear from the beginning that the man on stage was not a storyteller, nor really an actor. I imagine he has probably acted before, but really he's a short story writer.

The stories were quite good. The story entitled "The Botanist" was about the trial of a college-aged lad for the crime of "Forced Sodomy". It was funny and suspenseful. It was good courtroom drama.

The second tale, entitled "The Vultures" was a stronger story, in my opinion. And this one added blocking... a long climb down the risers next to the audience. Why? I don't know. It added nothing to the tale. It was merely a source of confusion for many of us who discussed the why-the-Hell-did-he-do-that factor of the choice. Anyway... this was essentially a love story. One that was about love for a deceased spouse. It also has a bit of Hitchcock feel to it, as well as Poe. Nice.

Side thing: The Fringe circuit seems like a brilliant way for small publishers to manage a book tour. Make no mistake... that's what is going on here. Peter Neofotis is selling his book from which these stories come. And what is brilliant is that people are paying him to attend his reading. Some of them are probably buying the book. And his lodging, as an out of towner, is likely being donated by one of the Fringe's volunteer hosts. Do that in a few cities, and you've got yourself a low budget, but effective book tour.

Despite the fact that this was not really a play, I really enjoyed this performance. "Selected Shorts" was one of my favorite features on Public Radio when I worked there. This had that feel. I could close my eyes at times and feel like I had a Broadway actor reading to me. Bliss.

TEN WORD SUMMARY: Author tells tales of Southern eccentricities from his new book.

Rating: d12 - "A Heckuva Lot of Fun"