Mixed Personality Disorders – theater review for Hollywood Fringe Fest – HFF 2012

Shaky home movie footage of a small town, as viewed from the passenger seat of a car, is projected before our narrator walks up to a music stand with his notes. Ominously hanging upstage is a straightjacket.

At first David Michael Taylor’s reminiscences of growing up (and desperately trying to escape) an abusive home life in dreary Moundsville, West Virginia reads like a speedily-delivered lecture dotted with stand-up comedy punchlines.

Taylor’s comedic timing and confessional style becomes seductively compelling, eventually drawing you in with his wry, ironic observations and sparks of mild sarcasm. He gets you laughing harder than you’d imagine at a guy who flirted with insanity.

For more information on all Hollywood Fringe Festival plays, visit their official site.

Here’s an updated show list of my full length reviews. Click on the active links in the play’s title to go to its review page.

ArtsBeatLA HIT LIST:

FRIDAY, June 8

ANACONDA

SATURDAY, June 9

NO WAY AROUND BUT THROUGH – Falcon Theater, Toluca Lake

DOC FAUSTUS

SUNDAY, June 10

JENNIFER ANISTON STOLE MY LIFE – unreviewed

FRENCH CABARET – CARPE NOCTEM

Tuesday, June 12

BEFORE THE RED TREES COME 916A Formosa

FRIDAY June 15

MIXED PERSONALITY DISORDERS – Theatre Asylum

POOL (NO WATER) – Flight Theatre at The Complex

FILTHY LIARS – The Complex – East Theater

SATURDAY June 16

FOUR CLOWNS: THAT BEAUTIFUL LAUGH – Open Fist Theater

MONDAY, June 18

RED BASTARD

TUESDAY, June 19

MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET – Pantages (not Fringe)

THE NEW ELECTRIC BALLROOM – Rogue Machine (not Fringe)

WHERE THE GREAT ONES RUN – Rogue Machine (not Fringe)

FRIDAY June 22

ALTARCATIONS

LOST MOON RADIO

TAPE

SATURDAY June 23

GUMSHOE

NINA VARIATIONS

DOOMSDAY CABARET

BUTTON VARIATIONS

MISSION TO MATE – unreviewed