CityBeat’s theater guru Rick Pender is right when he pimps the Cincy Fringe Festival as an “Antidote to Uptight” — personally speaking, the annual smorgasbord of edgy indie theater is among the best 12 days the city has to offer. Even the productions that don’t work are at least unique in one way or another. (Check CityBeat’s extensive Fringe coverage for proof.)
Furthermore, as an Over-the-Rhine resident, it’s always heartening to see our city’s most historic and interesting neighborhood even more alive than usual during the fest’s run, a bohemian beehive of activity that celebrates creativity, passion and, as Fringe Producing Artistic Director Eric Vosmeier likes to say, weirdness over all else. —-
That creativity will likely extend to this year’s Film Fringe, which is undergoing a slight shift in focus. Previous Film Fringe installments have explored what it “means to be on the fringe of film through a wide variety of viewpoints from around the world.”
The results were mixed and often less interesting than the theatrical portion of the fest, so give organizers credit for trying something different: This year’s film contribution will look at what it “means to bring the fringe to Cincinnati — specifically what it’s like to stage a Cincinnati Fringe theatrical experience,” as various filmmakers will document multiple Fringe performances and present their findings 10 p.m. Thursday at the Art Academy.
That sounds pretty vague and open-ended. But, given the people involved, it should at least be a singular experience. Weird, even.
