Rock Bottom

What I liked

Of all the fringe shows that I’ve seen, this might be the one that most perfectly encapsulates what “fringe” is all about. The simplicity of the piece is genius, allowing for a level of candor with the audience that can only thrive in an environment like the Broadwater Theatre: with charming self-awareness and a tongue-in-cheek attitude, it feeds off its intimate environment rather than being crushed by it. Where some one-man shows can lack a strong enough concept to explain WHY exactly the story is being told by one person, “Rock Bottom” gets this out of the way in the first ten seconds (Bottom has been abandoned by his fellow cast mates and now has to find a way to entertain the audience by himself). Utilizing a variety of mediums including music, dance, and poetry, you have to imagine that watching this show may be the modern equivalent to what it would have felt like to watch one of Shakespeare’s comedies back in the day— it’s a truly novel and engaging take on the source material. This is a smart, unique, wild ride of a show that is well worth an hour and $12.

What I didn't like

There was a distinct lack of condoms thrown into the audience. I was led to believe that all Hollywood Fringe shows would come with free condoms, and clearly I was sorely mistaken. Wherever am I going to get one now?

My overall impression

Do you remember encountering that donkey-headed actor guy whenever your high school English teacher made you read A Midsummer Night’s Dream? Do you remember thinking, “man, this dude is a riot, but I wish he could behave more like “Inside”-era Bo Burnham and also dance a lot”? Do neither of those experiences apply to you, but now you’re intrigued and in too deeply to stop reading this review? “Rock Bottom” is the perfect show to help you confront all of your creativity-based anxieties, while softening the crushing blow of existentialism through dick jokes, ukulele, and Charlie Day’s lovely British accent.