1409 Playbill Café, 1409 14th St. NW
Remaining Performances:
Saturday, July 8 at 8 p.m.
Sunday, July 9 at 8 p.m.
Monday, July 10, 8 p.m.
Wednesday, July 13, 8 p.m.
Thursday, July 14, 8 p.m.
Friday, July 15, 8 p.m.
Saturday, July 16, 8 p.m.
Sunday, July 17, 8 p.m.
Wednesday, July 20, 8 p.m.
Thursday, July 21, 8 p.m.
Friday, July 22, 8 p.m.
Saturday July 23, 8 p.m.
Sunday July 24, 8 p.m.
They say: Phyllis and her son, Bishop, survive an airplane crash on a deserted island, only to then face life-altering choices. Fat Men in Skirts asks many poignant questions, including, What does a baby actually taste like?
Universal Ems Take: Molotov Theatre bills itself as the only company in the world second-oldest company in the United States perpetuating the genre of Grand Guignol: Theatre dhorreur, in a traditional way. For you non-Francophones, that translates to “Theater of Horror.” Let your mind sink into Molotov’s description above and let your imagination run wild; this play is not for the faint of heart.
The shock is certainly there. Fringe-goers who enjoyed being offered a poncho to ward off splattered blood in last year’s Horrors of Online Dating will not be disappointed. With the plotlines running the gamut from incest to infidelity, mental health to parricide, to cannibalism and, um, Katharine Hepburn, the audience is never bored.
No time to catch your breath in this 90-minute, nonstop shock-and-awe campaign. The voluptuous Katie Culligans time onstage in her dual role as Pam/Pop will surely hold your attention, as well as Mathew Marcus’ portrayal of Bishop. His character transitions from ninny to badass so seamlessly, you might rethink your own revulsion when it comes to eating dead babies.
See it if: If you can stomach Katharine Hepburn and cannibalism in the same show.
Skip it if: Dismemberment just isn’t your thing.