The Mayor's Debate of Tranquility, Nebraska

There is something so dark and so delicious at the core of this production that I can't effectively describe it in a review. Saying ANYTHING about the plot itself will destroy one of the best surprises that I've seen in any Fringe show this year. Jim Hanna has put together a show that's incredibly funny, dark, bitter and then goes places I would NEVER have expected. I sincerely hope this show both extends and gets a chance to move elsewhere (like New York). It 100% deserves it.... full review

This experience was among my very favorite of Fringe, and I saw it on the last day when my brain was pretty much moosh, so it is saying a lot that the ensemble could easily pull me in, make me belly laugh, and leave me thinking. ... full review

It's not difficult to see the inspiration in the real world drawn by this piece: set amidst a vague sense of apocalyptic unease, we watch as our possible representatives attempt to outperform democracy to an apathetic and quietly hostile crowd of disengaged citizens. You won't expect precisely how the characters in this piece behave, based on the mind-melting churn of our real-world news cycle. You may expect to enjoy this delightfully peculiar and well-crafted descent into the madness of local government.... full review

Jim Hanna's "The Mayor's Debate of Tranquility, Nebraska" takes a concentrated, smart and undeniably hilarious look at our political habits. But while most plays of this nature use the story to react to our current political situation, Hanna removes the corrupt underbelly altogether and replaces it with something much more immediate and far more magically sinister- turning this political play into an abstract mind f**ck of an experience. ... full review

Hilarious!... full review

A darkly hilarious delight! If I lived to be a thousand I couldn't thank the creators of this show enough for putting it on. ... full review

Jim Hanna explores the horrific nature of the False Left/Right Paradigm that divides America and pits each of us against the other in a perpetual Theater of self destruction. The "self" meaning ALL of us. Jim is extremely well read & has a deep vocabulary and Multi disciplinarian knowledge of the memes that keep us from understanding that (capitol G) Government and Media are really what divide us, not our diverse ways of life & worldviews. Jim Hanna takes NO Cheap Shots against "the other" but rather explores the "horror" & gives us a hint as to the Demon that is The Media that we, almost literally, kill each other over as the Demon grows in power & each of us sacrifice our friendships and community for fleeting notoriety or power or vir... full review

I saw the preview of the show and was surprised by the sci-fi twist! The writing was clever and perfectly mocked all the things going on our in country. While the cast was great, Jim Hanna's sudden emotional turn toward the end of the show was powerful and compelling. Nice to see some emotional grounding in such a light comedy. Highly recommend.... full review

Hilarious! Great writing and performances. It has a unique angle that elevates it above the typical political commentary. Made me think about some big questions afterward, such as what does civility really mean?... full review

If you’ve spent much time at the Fringe, then you’ve probably seen Jim Hanna in at least one show. If you haven’t, then this is the show to see. Not only is he part of the amazing cast, but he also wrote this masterpiece that mixes politics with the supernatural. The magical cast of Hanna, Emily Dorsett, Kate Hellen and Lucie Beeby will whisk you away and provide a thought-provoking look at small town politics. ... full review