Reviewed by Amalisha HuEck
MANIAC by Todd Sulivan, directed by Natasha Mercado, is different, truly wild and original. Breaking the fourth wall and involving the audience to the extent of becoming a part of the show in totality is one of the most intriguing things. I believe many will like that.
The show has been ‘loosely inspired by 19th- century trial proceedings of the world’s first convicted serial killer’, and the audience is the jury during three trials. ‘The show explores themes of truth and morality through absurdity made with pool noodles, finger lights and trouble wits’, which is fun and inviting. With the movements, lo-fi origami, and theatricality, the show is hilarious in its absurdity and chaos. The alien kind of music encompasses the play throughout, including lie detector moments.
This show needs an audience. Todd Sullivan is charming, and his responses are quick and clever. It’s been stated that history’s first killer was intelligent and resourceful. The play with the lights and the clown like costume is fabulous, we had a blast watching it.
The most beautiful thing for me in this play was a feeling of comradery, when people work like a team supporting each other. At the end of the play, Sulivan asked the audience who else has a play during the Fringe Festival and when? Even though all plays are in competition, announcing some other plays was a nice gesture.
Maniac is running at Broadwater Blackbox, located at 6322 Santa Monica Blvd. LA 90038. Performances are on Thu 6/11 @ 9:30pm, Mon 6/15 @ 11pm, Thu 6/18 @ 11pm, Wed 6/24 @ 5pm, Sat 6/27 @ 2pm, Sun 6/28 @ 6:30pm.
Tickets are $15.00. https://www.hollywoodfringe.org/projects/13561?tab=tickets
Production still photography by Nicole Vance