Playwright: Philip-Dimitri Galas
Directors: Anne Meighan, Lynne Griffin
Cast: Sean Sullivan
Performed at the Lyric Theatre
Review by: Nicole Williams
Baby Redboot’s Revenge is acting at its finest. Sean Sullivan stars as Baby Four Strings, a once famed child actor who is now playing in a polka band and desperately trying to escape the curse of his former singing partner, Baby Redboots. Feeling doomed to a life of everlasting polka playing, the play shows Baby Four Strings going off on a tirade of hilarious bitterness.
Though a one-man show, Sullivan delivers a monologue filled with richness and dimension that will leave the audience believing the play had a cast of a dozen members. What Sullivan delivers is a seamless performance of haunting memories, nightmares, and a stream of consciousness in a perfectly wrapped package of sarcasm.
Where this play might lose its audience is perhaps in its sophistication: it’s here that Baby Redboots’ Revenge walks a double-edged sword. On one hand, the dialogue of the play clearly shows playwright Philip-Dimitri Glass’ passion and talent for language. On the other, this show might not exactly be accessible to a broad audience, especially those who are unfamiliar with the language of theatre. Nevertheless, Baby Redboots’ Revenge is unapologetically refined, and displays a finesse that sticks true with Glass’ talent as a writer. For those with a passion for language and theatre, Sullivan’s flawless execution is an absolute must see for this year’s Fringe Festival.
Hamilton Fringe Festival Community Reviews 