What I liked
The acting and choreography were on point. I especially enjoyed the snake ladies ability to speak simultaneously. Thats tough to do, so it’s quite impressive. The dedication for the animatronic animals doing a pre-programmed loop for almost 20 minutes is quite impressive. The costumes are probably the best I’ve seen at this years fringe, and the set and lighting design were great. Some of the multimedia aspects of the show, without spoiling, made me laugh so hard. All of that was very well done.
What I didn't like
For the actual script, the show struggles to justify its long runtime of about an hour and 45 minutes. Between the dance number and party games, there is a lot of padding in this script. There was also a twist with some of the animatronics that didn’t really work for me, as it had me questioning some of the motivations of the characters. With a new draft, and trimming of the excess fat, I think this show could really be something special.
My overall impression
Apocalypse at the Rainforest Cafe is insane, bizarre, and totally nuts. Between the acting, choreography, and the best set design I have seen at Fringe (so far), its clear that this show was made with love, and everyone was having a blast. However, for what is presented in the show, there is a lot of padding, and it has trouble justifying its longer runtime. Overall, its a mixed bag, but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t at least have fun.
