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FringeNYC Review - Lurking in Darkness
The Mole People

New York Times

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The right campfire story can send shivers down your spine and make the hair on the back of your neck stand on end. And while The Mole People writer/ director Dan Bianchi conjures nostalgic campfire ambiance, with flashlights under-face and a smoke filled minimalist stage, we never feel the chilling goose-bumps these production elements promise.

"People" has the right kindling to ignite a haunting night of storytelling: ferocious subway lizards, fiendish albino cannibals, and a satanic cult that has a penchant for baby killing. Jerry Lazar, who delivers the creepy tales, lacks the vocal virtuosity to embody countless sub-terrain monsters or their petrified victims. A few sparks of fright are generated by Matt Everett’s creative lighting design. Unfortunately, the sought-for eerie mood is too often undercut by the over-the-top and occasionally cheese-y sound effects. The result is that Bianchi’s spooky campfire tales fizzle out; in this case, there’s smoke, but no fire.

---- Lori Laster

Presented by RadioTheatre as part of The New York International Fringe Festival at THE PLAYERS THEATRE, 115 MACDOUGAL STREET, NYC. [remaining performances Aug. 14 5:00p.m..; Aug. 16 9:45p.m.; Aug. 20 3:30p.m.]
866-468-7619 www.ticketweb.com