Ashley Steed

Imagine growing up a child of a Drag Queen, making you a Drag Prince. Your life is fabulous and filled with sequins, sparkling shoes and show tunes. Meet Alfie Ordinary, who’s from this wonderful world and regales us stories of his youth at Madam LeCoq’s Preparatory School For Fabulous Boys. His friend, Jon, however doesn’t come from such a fabulous family. His home is filled with blame, guilt, feeling wrong, and shame. Hence, Alfie tries to cheer up his mate everyday on the bus through song. ... full review

Playwright Sheila Callaghan is known for taking on dark subject matters and twisting them so much that they’re simultaneously so strange that they’re familiar - a modern rendition of Brecht’s verfremdungseffekt. In We Are Not These Hands she’s created a dark dystopian society where Capitalist is a dirty word, violence is a mode of expression and sex is the main commodity. This could be a dark and depressing play, however Callaghan uses two teenage girls with youthful exuberance and optimism to br... full review

Since Eve first ate the fruit from the tree of knowledge, women have been blamed for the ills of mankind. This is the first tale told in Blamed: An Established Fiction. This enchanting production combines live music, dance, shadow puppets and traditional storytelling to depict the tales of women throughout history, literature and mythology who have been victims and blamed for the chaos around them. With a premise like this, the show sounds like it could be horribly depressing - but it’s far from ... full review

The first of playwright and actor Cecilia Fairchild’s two one-act plays is Family Tradition. The piece centers on Joan (Claudia Elmore) – an Oklahoma native living in LA – and her relationship with her dead father whose spirit keeps haunting her. It’s a darkly poetic tale of alcohol and abuse, and how blood binds us – sometimes against our will. Darrett Sanders deftly portrays the alcoholic father Leon with such pain and anguish that it’s difficult not to sympathize with this irredeemable man. Li... full review

When Andy Warhol died in 1987, Ezra Buzzington (director, and godfather of the Hollywood Fringe) was inspired to create a piece based on Warhol’s writings and diaries. What he’s created is a wild exploration of a fascinating and baffling person who was rife with anxiety. Warhol’s mother once told him, “Don’t be pushy, but let everyone know you’re around.” This mantra is evident throughout the piece. Performed in the store window of the LA-LA Land Gallery (and surrounded by pop art), this is... full review

Inspired by the true story of Lucy, Chimpskin is about a chimpanzee that was raised as a human by psychoanalyst Maurice and his wife Jane Temerlin. They raised her for 11 years, and when she became too difficult to take care of, abandoned her in an African chimpanzee colony. This devised piece by the Puckwit Gang beautifuly depicts her life story through evocative movement, haunting music, and strong performances from the ensemble. Special mention is necessary for Damla Coskun as Lucy: her moveme... full review

When Trump fired FBI Director James Comey in May, there were immediate comparisons to Nixon and the Sunday Night Massacre. So it’s fitting that UK based company Bootcamp Productions have revived Donald Freed and Arnold M. Stone’s 1983 play. We meet Nixon (Steve Scott) in his study, already drunk on scotch and dictating his memoir into a recorder (the irony of which does not go unnoticed). Acting as his own lawyer, Nixon defends himself to us, The American Jury. The play spirals into the mind of a... full review

Recently released from prison, Jackie (Jorge-Luis Pallo) comes home to his longtime girlfriend, Veronica (Fayna Sanchez), with some gifts to celebrate a new job. Things are going to be different for them. But then, when he spots an unfamiliar hat on the table, he goes into a rage — just who is the motherfucker with the hat? Playwright Stephen Adly Guirgis’s richly profane (and profound) 2011 Tony-nominated play is given an excellent run with a sharp ensemble. Pallo brings both the machismo and... full review

Award-winning magician Jon Armstrong is best known for his close-up magic and card tricks. Having taken the past year to study and develop new illusions, he performs a number of classic routines with a twist, such as using a tie in lieu of rope in a rope trick, or using rubber bands for a smaller version of the Chinese rings. Though some of his routines are stronger than others, here he proves why he’s considered by some to be one of the best close-up magicians today. His strongest routine blends... full review

Name This Magic Show is a competition between close-up magicians. The audience votes for their favorite act, and the winner gets to keep the money from that show. Before the show begins, the four magicians draw straws. The performer who draws the shortest one must act as the MC for the night, and therefore doesn’t compete. Jon Armstrong was our bitter host for the evening and the three acts were performed by Nick Paul, Joe Skilton (replacing Australian magician Simon Coronel), and Handsome Jac... full review