Marcus J Freed

Gosh, what a superb production. Outstanding performances, insightful writing and masterful direction. This is a very strong piece of ensemble theatre and would hold its own if immediately transferred to the Ahmanson, Broadway or West End. Son of A Bitch takes us on a moving journey through Washington in the 1980s, behind-the-scenes of the Republican White House, and has poignant messages for today in terms of corruption, populism and how the circus of politics is often disassociated from the will... full review

Rosie Glen-Lambert is one of the best directors that the Hollywood Fringe has seen in years. Rosie is a fearless director and highly capable, bringing excellent performances from the actors, playing all the comic moments, and working the company around a highly elaborate set that is rare to see in a fringe production - especially one that has to be set up in 15 minutes. The action is well-timed and there isn’t a dull moment in the play. The Last Croissant is a must-see, so get your tickets now b... full review

Delightful! Loves Adventures is a beautifully-conceived Restoration comedy: in Hollywood shorthand, an “18th-Century Rom Com”. Or in this case, an 18th Century Feminist Romcom. Broads Words is a passionate company who have staged the lesser-known work of Margaret Cavendish, giving important exposure to the voice of a female playwright from the Restoration era, deftly cutting longer scenes into bite-sized chunks. Restoration Comedy was partly inspired by the idea of ‘Social Contracts’ coming o... full review

Charming storytelling. I am very glad to have caught the final performance of “F- Tinder”. David Rowdin takes you on this rollercoaster storytelling piece that leads you on an extraordinary tale of post-relationship Tinder dates, existential pain, exotic highlights and a seemingly endless array of romantic encounters. There is a spiritual message at the heart of it, as our narrator David notices how his heart is closing up through a string of emotional hurts. He then quotes the Biblical passage h... full review

Beautiful! The UK-based touring company Althea Theatre had a short run of performances at the Hollywood Fringe: their success with a string of bookings around California was our loss because this is a beautifully-written play and deserves a far greater exposure in the Los Angeles theatre scene. I would like to see it staged in one of the mainstream houses like the Ahmanson or Kirk Douglas - it is a beautiful two-hander that explores the concepts of home, returning to our birthplace, and creating ... full review

WMMFEST is a fabulous film festival taking place in the heart of the Hollywood Fringe. We saw a great night of short movies from a range of extraordinary filmmakers - people who are talented, passionate, articulate, artistic & visionary. I'm a huge fan of We Make Movies and the way they say a full-body whole-hearted "YES!" to making films - they encourage people to make their movies, screen them, get them out there, and then make some more. I look forward to watching & participating in the strato... full review

YES!!! Airplane Live! is that rare theatrical event: tons of fun, family friendly (I could safely take my parents to it :) ), sing-a-long, shout-a-long, audience response, the American equivalent of the Great British Panto. It was a great throwback to the classic airplane movie with a lot of new and updated material. Really tight, pacey direction that keeps the action moving, a lot of very well drawn characters who lead you along in the story, get you laughing, get you laughing a bit more, and su... full review

YEAH! Gritty, full on, blood-sweat-and-tears-in-yo'-face-theatre!! Kickass work from the cast of MoFo W/The Hat. They work it, giving you a solid theatrical experience. This piece has depth, gravitas, grabs you by the cohones and takes you through a heart-wrenching theatrical rollercoaster of emotions. It has solid direction and a uniformly strong cast who play the junkies, abusers, abused and highly dysfunctional group of characters who are doing their best in life. The characters learn a little... full review

Excellent performances from James & the outstanding cast of Ladies in Waiting. I love the way they clearly delineate the different relationships and personalities of each of Henry's wives: every Queen is presented with beauty, grace and the drama needed to give you a multi-dimensional understanding of the challenges facing a lusty English monarch! Speaking as a native Englishman, I was particularly impressed with the quality of the English accents performed by American actors in the cast - their... full review

So damn good. Narcissus & Echo is an Eco-musical that is breathtakingly well-directed/written by Elizabeth Lanier. It's like 'Hair' meets the environmental water crisis, set against the backdrop of post-coital Mount Olympus, replete with Ancient Greek shenanigans & mythological hi-jinks. The exceptionally well-cast actors nail it with 12-part harmonies, excellent timing & spot-on choreography. It left me yearning for more - to see a longer version, in a bigger theatre, with more set, costume & a ... full review