“A comedy as dark as this town’s secrets…” The forced civility at a small town Mayor’s debate shows cracks as the shallow and petty candidates dig deep on property taxes, parking meters and cupcake flavors, cracks that begin to reveal a secret horror that has paralyzed the town.
The Mayor’s Debate of Tranquility, Nebraska
Critics
LemonMeter
Reviews: 3
Reviews
If you’ve spent much time at the Fringe, then you’ve probably seen Jim Hanna in at least one show. If you haven’t, then this is the show to see. Not only is he part of the amazing cast, but he also wrote this masterpiece that mixes politics with the supernatural. The magical cast of Hanna, Emily Dorsett, Kate Hellen and Lucie Beeby will whisk you away and provide a thought-provoking look at small town politics. There is so much great humor in this show, and the chemistry of these four is palpable. Suffice it to say that it stands as one of the best comedies at this year’s Fringe, and definitely worthy of your time and money.
Jim Hanna is one of my favorite creators at Fringe, and The Mayor’s Debate is maybe his best effort. And that’s a very high bar. His script is witty, smart and, at moments, shocking. He’s assembled a great ensemble who play their parts to perfection. The debate is ultimately secondary to the existential truths they explore. The characters bounce from political discussions to person attacks to topics that should not be talked about in civil conversation. I don’t want to give anything away. Just go see it already.
The Mayor’s Debate of Tranquility, Nebraska is a brilliant commentary on the divisive state of politics that both mocks the modern lack of civility while at the same time celebrating the gift that is free speech. A perfect little bite of political theatre, it doesn’t offer any way to fix things, but it certainly does allow us to laugh at the things we can’t yet change. - HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
The real debate here is not so much focused on the limits of political correctness but rather the necessity of rage in a society that has seemingly shattered all its traditional boundaries. In bringing Fringe audiences into this debate, Hanna and crew have provided laughs with the bitterest of aftertaste and a chilling moral: Behind the mockery lurks the monster.
If you’ve spent much time at the Fringe, then you’ve probably seen Jim Hanna in at least one show. If you haven’t, then this is the show to see. Not only is he part of the amazing cast, but he also wrote this masterpiece that mixes politics with the supernatural. The magical cast of Hanna, Emily Dorsett, Kate Hellen and Lucie Beeby will whisk you away and provide a thought-provoking look at small town politics. There is so much great humor in this show, and the chemistry of these four is palpable. Suffice it to say that it stands as one of the best comedies at this year’s Fringe, and definitely worthy of your time and money.
The Mayor’s Debate of Tranquility, Nebraska is a brilliant commentary on the divisive state of politics that both mocks the modern lack of civility while at the same time celebrating the gift that is free speech. A perfect little bite of political theatre, it doesn’t offer any way to fix things, but it certainly does allow us to laugh at the things we can’t yet change. - HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
The real debate here is not so much focused on the limits of political correctness but rather the necessity of rage in a society that has seemingly shattered all its traditional boundaries. In bringing Fringe audiences into this debate, Hanna and crew have provided laughs with the bitterest of aftertaste and a chilling moral: Behind the mockery lurks the monster.
Jim Hanna is one of my favorite creators at Fringe, and The Mayor’s Debate is maybe his best effort. And that’s a very high bar. His script is witty, smart and, at moments, shocking. He’s assembled a great ensemble who play their parts to perfection. The debate is ultimately secondary to the existential truths they explore. The characters bounce from political discussions to person attacks to topics that should not be talked about in civil conversation. I don’t want to give anything away. Just go see it already.