The Tragedies Present: Beyond the Fringe - British Sketch Comedy April 12, 2007

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 29, 2007
For Immediate Release
Contact: Dylan Hillerman
(503) 413-9404
The Tragedies Open Their New NE Portland Theater Venue “The Crimson”
with Classic British Sketch Show, Beyond the Fringe
The Tragedies Theatre Company presents the legendary British comedy revue Beyond the Fringe, featuring sketch comedy about capital punishment, schmaltzy World War II propaganda, stupid people in the media, Royalty, weapons of mass destruction and Shakespeare, and is running April 12th, 13th, 19th, 20th and May 4th and 5th at 8pm, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays in the new Crimson Theater on NE 7th and Dekum at The Village Ballroom.

While the Fab Four was revolutionizing music, Peter Cook, Dudley Moore, Johnathan Miller, and Alan Bennet were reinventing modern sketch comedy with their West End and Broadway hit revue, Beyond the Fringe. They were as irreverent in Britain in the early 60’s as their American satirical and stand-up counterpart, Lenny Bruce.
“Many see Beyond the Fringe as the forerunner to British television programs That Was The Week That Was, At Last the 1948 Show and Monty Python's Flying Circus…
“…As with the established comedy review it was a series of satirical sketches and musical pieces using a minimal set looking at events of the day. It effectively represented the views and disappointments of the first generation of British people to grow up after World War II and gave voice to a sense of the loss of national purpose with the end of the British Empire…
“The show is credited with giving many other performers the courage to be satirical and more improvised in their manner, and broke the conventions of not lampooning the government of the day or the Royal Family. However the show wasn't all that satirical, merely making fun of things — such as the war films — however even this was a step forward in comedy. Shakespearean drama was another target of their comedy.
“There were a number of songs in the show, mainly using music by Dudley Moore. Some have credited it with the rise of the Satire Boom of the 1960s. Without it there may not have been any That Was The Week That Was (a “Daily Show” proto-type) or Private Eye magazine (a “Spy Magazine” proto-type). Many of the members of Monty Python recall being inspired by Beyond the Fringe.” –Wikipedia

Directed by Sara Rudolph, fresh from “The Tragedies’ Theatre du Grand Guignol. The cast includes Dylan Hillerman, Jason Custer, Kelly Linss, Nation and Annie Vergnetti.

April 12th, 13th, 19th, 20th and May 4th and 5th at 8pm, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, 8pm.
April 12th is pay-what-you-will, all other nights are $10.
Performances of Beyond the Fringe are at the “The Crimson Theater”,
NE 7th and Dekum at The Village Ballroom.

Reservations: please call 503.367.2100
For more information, or to reserve on the web:
www.thetragedies.com.

###

Official Website: http://www.thetragedies.com