Daddy

Great mix between the dark subject matter and unexpected comedic moments. The cast did an awesome job at pacing their secrets and keeping the audience guessing. Great show overall!... full review

Bethy Poluikis and Julian Silver were ELECTRIC in this dark, tense play. I wanted more of them when the show was over after a good dose of Southern fried gothic drama and chilling twists.... full review

I really enjoyed this show overall, with a lot of strong, edgy comedy balancing out incredibly dark and tricky moral issues. The actors handle the subject matter in a way I found totally convincing, jumping between comedic and dramatic lines in ways that should be hard but that they make seem easy, and the script is handled elegantly and gives the excellent performers a lot of chances to shine. The only major issue I have is with the transitions, which as of the show I saw absolutely need to be tightened up. There's no reason for them to be as long as they are, and they kill some of the hard, terrific work that the actors are doing onstage. Overall, I recommend the show very highly, and think it's very well-done.... full review

What many playwrites and screenwriters miss when writing a deep, dark drama is that there are moments that are so tense and ridiculous in life that it's funny. The subject matter of a shunned sister trying to make her way back into her family by confronting her sister on their father's sexual abuse couldn't be more serious. Yet, there are moments of genuine hilarity. And not just the comic relief of the significant others, but by the banter of the sisters. My biggest laugh came off the mother's line at the funeral. (don't want to ruin it for you, but...nailed it.) I've learned that original material should be at showcased at Fringe and this show is a gold nugget. Digital high five to Bethy Poluikis for keeping the show driving forward in a v... full review

This is a really interesting show that needs editing. Billed as a dark comedy, it is much more successful when played straight- because the serious scenes are gripping. Bethy Poluikis leads an excellent cast that truly made me believe this family's dark history. fringeblog.webs.com ... full review

This play handled its very complex and serious subject with great dexterity. It led me to form opinions about how things "should be", and then analyze those opinions, reject them, and, ultimately, doubt my entire process of subjective thinking. When I go to see a play, this is exactly what I want: to feel challenged, to feel doubt, and to think. However, the truly amazing thing about this work is that it did all this while being damn funny, too. I guess that's part of what life is all about: nothing is ever quite as simple as it seems, it can be dead serious and is often very difficult-- but it is punctuated with those moments that just make you laugh out loud at the ridiculousness of it all. An excellent play, a wonderful cast, and a ... full review

See Daddy tonight!!! The whole cast is brilliant, but Devin Sullivan steals the show as a stoner with a heart of gold. Olivia Peterson is a gifted playwright with a darkly funny bent. Can't get enough of her writing.... full review

This show does an excellent job of balancing dark issues with a bit of comedy. The cast is spot on in their moments of lightheartedness. Led by powerhouse lead Bethy Poluikis this cast plays their roles as members of an estranged family with such believability that you can see elements of all families in them. The set changes and tech elements still need a bit of work and they could easily shave 5-6 minutes from the show by simplifying set changes. While this is a compelling idea for a play, the script could be tightened in spots and elongated in other places. It has the characters talk around the issue for the majority of the show rather than deal with it. Great performances by the cast do make it something worth seeing!... full review

"Daddy" is the story of two estranged sisters coming together over the death of their father, each facing up to their family's dark past. The ensemble works well together to deal with this very dark, difficult subject matter in a way that is actually charming at times. The scenes between two sisters, while under the duress of unimaginable circumstances, still felt grounded enough to really see your own sibling issues within the scenes. I thought the character arcs were very interesting. One sister, the sexy redhead, begins the play in a very unlikable state that you warm up to as you see her guard drop. Where as the other "just trying to help" sister transforms from a nurturing, empathetic type into an overbearing, over-imposing person. In a... full review

Although my primary reason for seeing this show was that my friend Bethy Poluikis of Theatre Unleashed was in the cast, I left the theatre very thankful that I had come. Written and directed by Olivia Peterson, the show was a powerful masterpiece that explored family secrets, and the disastrous results that develop as a result of them. It pitted two estranged sisters who reluctantly are reunited at the funeral for their Dad. The underlying cause of the estrangement gradually comes out through the show, resulting in changes in the lives of the sisters. Special kudos to Devin, whose Max was the unexpected comic gem in an otherwise dark show. This is a MUST SEE show - don't miss the chance to see a true Fringe gem.... full review