What I liked
The main characters were all multi-layered, each got their moments to shine, and the story managed to show real growth and development both for the players and in their Vaelrun campaign. Some real standout performances from a musical standpoint as well, and good use of an episodic plot structure that felt on-brand for a tale centered on a gaming group meeting once a week.
What I didn't like
Sound balance was an issue. The musical accompaniment was sometimes far too loud, drowning out a few of the singers. Further, while about half of the main cast fell somewhere between “solid” and “spectacular” in terms of vocals, the rest sometimes struggled to project enough to fill the (admittedly large for Fringe) theater, and one number in particular had a bunch of missed notes.
My overall impression
An ambitious musical by and for fans of Dungeons and Dragons (and tabletop gaming in general), Tabletop is a well-written and mostly well-executed show that will feel all too familiar to those who’ve spent their share of afternoons praying to the dice gods while remaining accessible to those who’ve never even seen a d20. Despite a few stumbling points during musical numbers, the two-and-a-half hour production flew by and brought some damned good performances to bear.
