Cleaner Than Blood

Alex, the director, was my first contact with this festival. When he described this play, I said oh a comedy. Yeah that's my point of reference. This is an intense drama that explores our individual choices and the complexities of victims of pedophiles. It set my head spinning. Definitely not light fare but definitely a must see. Congrats to the cast!... full review

Cleaner Than Blood is a character study about 3 people who've been brought together by their pasts to kill someone they all have in common. The play is gritty, it has it's peaks and it's valleys. Ultimately, it was too heavy handed and the story gets bogged down in the weight of the text. The actors all give great performances; the dialogue was also quite sharp and real. For me, it's the characters and the story that really falls flat. The ending, dotted by dreamy poetic pondering, is incredibly anticlimactic. I didn't feel any connection to the characters, despite the valiant efforts of the actors. Maybe if they had another 30-45 minutes to further develop these characters, I would have left with a much tighter connection to the piec... full review

Take three disparate characters with vengeful agendas, add a basement, a weapon, and some very good liquor, and you have the basis for an intense evening with good performances. Alex Scott has directed a complex piece with a deft hand. Think dark. From the script to the stage lighting. A moody but intriguing piece of theater. It starts mid action and never lets go. ... full review

Director Alexander Thomas Scott masterfully weaves a delicate story of love, loss, and revenge at the Hollywood Fringe Festival. Lead by three brilliant actors portraying three very flawed characters, this is a play that leaves you on the edge of your seat, entwined in every moment, waiting for the rope they're all holding onto to eventually snap. For it's performances, it's tight, crisp direction, it's moody lighting, and it's twisted script - Cleaner Than Blood is totally worth every penny. It's painfully obvious these guys love what they do, because they do it well. This is the show at Fringe you don't want to miss out on. ... full review

Masterfully directed by Alexander Thomas Scott. Incredibly well acted with nuance and depth. ... full review

This show is amazing! Well written, well acted, and very well directed! Admittedly, I didn't know what to expect from the show going into it. The title and description purposefully leave a veiled glint of intrigue, but that's it. What I experienced was so much more. The suspenseful story line unfolds succinctly within its one hour time frame; each character coming to full development a la a Richard Linklater-esque dialogue heavy, conversational style that held my attention the entire time. I just loved every minute of it. Go see this show! ... full review

Cleaner than Blood is a real gem in this year's festival. With a tight script full of secrets, the staging or characters could easily get lost. Not a problem here. Every move is deliberate, and every reveal well paced. I agree with people who say CTB is a thriller, but it's also much more. It is drama at its best.... full review

What starts as a Tarantino-esque scene between two guys in a cellar twists, turns and transforms into something much deeper and more moving over the course of a tight hour. The direction is crisp, creating a palpable sense of tension that intensifies as secrets are revealed. And all three performances are fully committed, making these characters come to life in all their darkness, struggle and tragedy. A damn fine show that deserves an audience. If you're looking for something on the engrossingly dark and thought provoking side--check it out!... full review

Jen Silverman's new play "Cleaner Than Blood" is a psychological maze through the minds of three young people who have all been tormented by a single figure. The fragile, desperate figures bare their teeth to one another, the fissures of their own resolve beginning to spread. Strong performances from the cast all-around: Kjai Block, with his honest and delicate portrayal of a man wronged so many years ago shines in the moments when he seems most at ease with what he must do. Austin Ireland's "Paul" is menacing and yet somehow magnetic; you're never quite sure whether to slap him or to share a drink with him. Maggie Blake's "Marr" is wonderful; every line is a weapon, and every flash of the whites of her eyes a warning - like a snake, she... full review