Frank: To Be Frank
Purple venue, find showtimes
Androgynous in look and bizarre in spirit, Frank, the self-proclaimed “world’s most entertaining entertainer,” has taken over the Purple venue.
In Frank: To Be Frank, Emily Newton plays the extravagant titular character with the necessary humility and honesty to make her audience willingly join her on the 55-minute ridiculous journey of a show.
The character of Frank comes with all of his own quirks that emerge bit by bit as time goes on. Frank is inclined to pose dramatically on cue, (often while yelling “no pictures!” and holding for the cameras,) dance to the pre-recorded beats that came standard with his mini electronic keyboard, interact with his audience and much more. Don’t be surprised if Frank begins to regale you with his epic tales of touring with Elvis and ends up pulling you onstage to share a beer through a bendy straw.
This show is a pleasant change from the overtly sexual subject matter that accompanies many drag shows at Fringe. Newton does not rely on that fact that she is crossdressing to make her humor work. Frank has his own life and his own struggles that he confronts during the show, and the world he lives in just happens to be so weird and wonderful that the audience can’t help but commit to it as well.
Overall, the show is just so silly and off-the-wall that it never gets boring, despite the occasional slow transition that came between bits. You are very likely to leave this show without knowing quite exactly what or who you just experienced – but you will definitely want to go back again.
Read all of Watermark’s coverage of the 2016 Orlando Fringe Theatre festival here.
