3 Comments

1. Stu Lewis on July 27, 2017 at 3:23 pm

   This was definitely a fringe highlight for me–as with other top shows, it’s the sort of thing you won’t see anywhere but Fringe. I wish we could see more of Phil Kinen’s work throughout the year. This was a powerful performance. The story starts out as a comedy but develops surprisingly into something more serious along the way, with real emotional pull. I’m sorry now that I did not see the earlier installments, but there will be more in coming Fringefests.

   
   
   
2. Tracy Thomas on July 29, 2017 at 3:45 pm

   Not as deep psychologically (it is a riff on Karl Jung’s Puer Aeternus theory of boys who never grow up) as last year’s–but part of the cycle of plays. Story needed a bit more relationship to Huck’s earlier life–could have been any over-the-hill personality at the end of his life.
   On the plus side, Phil Kinen acted his ass off–in a virtual 60 minute monologue length playlet. Four actors had turned down the difficult part, so Kinen stepped in to star in the play he wrote and directed.
   KC is fortunate to have a real playwright in Phil Kinen. I hope, when edited, the whole five play cycle makes it to larger cities.

   And Jake Leet, after he projected, was riveting. Jake Leet has the IT factor. Actors either have it, or they don’t. So glad that our local ‘Actors mentor’, Phil Kinen, discovered him. Jake’s personal story is fascinating–google him–he nearly died onstage in Lawrence, playing Shrek, due to an undiagnosed heart ailment. Now cured, I think this young man could make it on Broadway, not “Just Off Broadway” . So if you see him here, you can say, “I saw him when…”

   
   
   
3. Br. John on July 31, 2017 at 2:20 am

   Phil Kinen has masterfully kept the “Huck Finn” legend & magic alive with this installment of this iconic series. In addition, a joy to watch him work, bringing depth and passion, humor and pain to his character. I can feel Finn & totally been there where he’s been emotionally at times. Ad for Jake Leet. Gosh, what can I say. SUPERB Talent. A perfect blend and great chemistry that balanced & clicked between them. Jake’s future-going bigger stages & bigger places. One of my fav lines from this production-which is become my motivative mantra that’ll keep me focused and when I wish to tap into the innocence of my soul, “Let go if all the grown up nonsense and then you’ll fly.”