#Hashtag

Unlike most Fringe shows, this one encourages you to leave your phones on, to live tweet, Instagram or Vine the performance and share the experience. Although a bit choppy and sometimes difficult to follow, the show as a whole was fun and enlightening. You feel for the struggles of the characters, although sometimes they telegraph their intent too much. It is a worthy effort. Kudos to Spencer Howard for a good story and a understandable performance of the transformation that the need for social interaction can cause in our lives. For the rest of my review, check out Examiner.com.... full review

#HASHTAG is a new comedy directed by Jeffrey Wienckowski and devised by The Mechanical Heart, a group of UCSD Alumni who put the show together in only six weeks. It explores the other kind of LA gridlock: the daily struggle to remain engaged in the present moment in a culture built on social media and status anxiety. Everyone is searching for their dream relationship and dream job, but at what cost? And just how much influence should you allow social media to have on your dreams? Look for my full review on Broadway World: http://losangeles.broadwayworld.com/article/BWW-Reviews-HASHTAG-Examines-the-Daily-Struggle-to-Stay-Engaged-in-the-Present-Moment-20130609... full review

Not very compelling but fun and enthusiastic.... full review

“#Hashtag” begins with a pre-curtain announcement that the audience should not turn off their phones, encouraging us to “live tweet” the characters on stage. I activated Instagram to take a picture to post to Facebook and Twitter, but I didn’t get a response from the characters on stage. “#Hashtag” tells the story of Kit, played by Spencer Howard, a present day 20-something Los Angelino suffering from the angst of self-centeredness. He places his dream of becoming an actor before his relationships. By the play’s end he has lost his girlfriend, turned his back on his brother and neglected the one friend who seems to really care about him, but he does land a role in a pilot. It’s a classic story of a hero’s tragic flaw bringing about his ow... full review

This is an amusing story with a really likable cast, and the most on the nose of the "life in LA" shows I've seen [at least until the struggling actor- spoiler alert- books a pilot]. Interestingly, social media is a backdrop for but not really the focus of this production. This show is what the "like" button was made for- it's not stellar, but it's entertaining. fringeblog.webs.com ... full review