Warehouse

Remaining Performances:
Saturday, July 12 at 3:30 p.m.
Tuesday, July 15 at 8 p.m.
Thursday, July 17 at 10 p.m.
Saturday, July 19 at 2:30 p.m.

They say: Based on Andrew Potter’s experiences as part of the comedy juggling duo The High Street Circus, The Road to High Street tells the story of the unusual journey of two successful street performers through storytelling, music and projected digital media.

Lindsey’s Take: As true stories go, Andrew Potter‘s is almost unbelievable at times—-and yet he weaves his tale with such earnestness that you can’t help but know its real. He packed up and headed across the country to become a performer after seeing Flying Karamazov Brothers. He took up residence in a beer tank with self-proclaimed “vat rats” of the punk movement just because he could afford the rent in an all-but abandoned building. He traveled halfway around the world on the offer of a total stranger to compete for a few million lira a festival of street performers. And he won. 

Yet none of these tales contains hyperbole—-the proof is in the presentation. Potter’s storytelling combines with VHS tapes of his performances and old photos and news clippings to bring his vivid recollections to life. He layers chapters together with a little acoustic guitar and a song or two, and each trick and stunt come to life. Juggling pins, eating fire, and riding a six-foot unicycle didn’t cement the fame of The High Street Circus—-that was all stage presence, too.

His story is also deeply personal, weaving in video and stories of his father and his daughter as each helped shape the creation of his show and the unexpected support he received. Potter has taken his show around the country, traveling with his daughter to Fringe Festivals and beyond—-ultimately another happy ending for performance career.

See it if: Your ideal Fringe description would read “Funny | Sweet | True.”

Skip it if: You pick your shows on their potential for shock/awe/full-frontal/or fake blood.