What I liked
Every single cast member poured their heart into their role and committed 110% – and also understood what their role in the show was. The comedic characters went all out to a scenery chewing level, while the more grounded characters, like the play’s villain, kept themselves just reigned in enough. Again, a tough balancing act to do and I tip my hat to the great direction. The songs are all poignant and relatable, even the insane comedy numbers, and the book enhances that rather than taking away from it, or even just sitting alongside it. The partnership between the two writers clearly worked out very well. The costuming leans into the camp of the show, and hits its target squarely.
What I didn't like
The choreography was a touch awkward at times, but that’s most likely due to the limited space, and to having actors who aren’t necessarily trained dancers. The staging could probably have embraced the theater in the round aspect of the show a touch more. (But again, given how Fringe Festivals work, who knows how much time they had to actually rehearse in the space?) But those are extremely minor quibbles in a show that’s otherwise fantastic.
My overall impression
I had listened to Teaching a Robot to Love previously on CD when the cast album was released. I knew it was a touching, well written show with a great message about both accepting our trans and nonbinary friends and also about how much capitalism sucks. I did not expect seeing the full show to hit me as hard as it did. An incredibly talented group of people brought together a beautiful show that sits on the line of absurdist comedy, but never crosses it far enough to take away the show’s heart. A brilliant, and wonderfully campy, balancing act.
