Meaningless - Next Stage

Some Fringe shows make crowds laugh while others leave viewers guessing. This performance will make audiences think and perhaps do a little research.

In "Meaningless," Rodney Brazil transforms the biblical book of Ecclesiastes word-for-word into a one-person play. Rodney plays "The Teacher," the only role in the performance. "The Teacher" imparts ancient wisdom about life, what really matters, and every purpose under the sun. His choice of the New LivingTranslation of the Bible was wise and made the two-thousand-year-old text easier to understand. His use of multiple story-telling techniques, sounds, and a bag of props add variety and interest.

Rodney delivers this entire Bible chapter almost flawlessly, which could not have been easy. Listeners will remember little bits of knowledge from the ancient past which seem relevant today: Think about what really matters. Be satisfied with what you have. There is a time for everything. Much of life can be meaningless, like chasing the wind. This reviewer couldn't help wondering if she would have listened more in Sunday School if Rodney had been delivering the lessons.

At show's end, audiences, whether familiar with the Bible or not, will find themselves reflecting on what this life all means. Perhaps Rodney could return to Fringe next year and take on the Book of Revelation?