GEEK N OUT REVIEW
“TASTE OF MAN-FLESH: A FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING PARODY”
Reviewer: Robert Southgate
Taste of Man-Flesh is a hilarious take on the beloved first book from The Lord of the Rings. It’s not a comedic send up (ala Scary Movie), but a true parody that hits the right beats for fans of the series peppered with laugh out loud jokes. Taste of Man-Fleshis from the team that brought you I Have the High Ground: A Revenge of the Sith Parody, which was also exceptional. If you are a fan of The Lord of the Rings, this is a show you must see! You’ll get all the feels, all the iconic lines, all the thrilling adventure, and laugh your way through the whole show.
The cast was spot on without simply attempting impersonations of the actors from the films. Every actor was fantastic and deserves praise. Mary-Kate Arnold was exceptional as Galadriel and Arwen. Gaby Martineau as Frodo, Sarah Jean Tilford as Sam, and Mike Danovich as Gandalf gave standout performances. The fight choreography by Lana Whittington was stunning. The actors used live steel in a very close “theater-in-the-round” setting. The fights were thrilling and exciting, while never feeling dangerous for the audience that was sitting so close to the actors. The sound design by Tiffany Keane Shaffer was also spot on. It enhanced the experience and got legitimate laughs from the audience.
I know Otherworld Theatre is knows for dramatic science fiction and fantasy, a reputation that is well earned yet it is also a company producing some of the best comedy in the city. I cannot wait to see what director Michael Jay Bullaro does next. I want this team to complete the Lord of the Rings series, and continue making parodies of nerd culture touch stones. Encourage them to continue creating such wonderful theater by going to see this show. But hurry, this show closes next weekend.
Taste of Man-Flesh: A Fellowship of the Ring Parody deserves your time. Geek N Out highly recommends.
Cast:
Nathan Pease as Bilbo Baggins
Mary-Kate Arnold as Galadriel/Arwen
Mike Danovich as Gandalf
Gaby Martineau as Frodo Baggins
Sarah Jean Tilford as Samwise Gamgee
Grace Gimpel as Merry/Pippin
Tony Pellegrino as Aragorn
James Martineau as Boromir
Elizabeth MacDougald as Legolas
Nathan Randall Miller as Gimli/Rosie
Jacob Bates as Sauron/Elrond
Levi Crouch as Ensemble/Fighter
Abigail Lafont as Ensemble/Fighter
Creatives:
Adapted by Mary-Kate Arnold, Michael Jay Bullaro and Kai Young
Director – Michael Jay Bullaro
Stage Manager – Sara Robinson
Fight Design – Lana Whittington
Sound Design – Tiffany Keane Schaefer
Costumes/Props – Sarah Jean Tilford, Gaby Marineau, Mary-Kate Arnold
All Performances take place in Otherworld’s larger theatre space, nicknamed, “The Bradbury,” 3914 N Clark Street, Chicago, IL 60613, August 15, 2019 - August 24, 2019; Thu - Sat at 7:30pm (Street Parking available; CTA Accessible by Sheridan Red Line / 22 Clark).
Otherworld Theatre is located at 3914 N Clark Street, Chicago, IL 60613 (Street Parking available; CTA Accessible by Sheridan Red Line / 22 Clark). Performances are approximately 100 minutes with intermission.
About Otherworld Theatre
Otherworld Theatre is a two-stage facility with a main stage that boasts a flexible performance and seating area in its larger The Bradbury space, The Alchemist’s Lab black box space, bar, and lobby located a few blocks north of Wrigley Field. Tickets to all shows are available at www.OtherworldTheatre.org Otherworld maintains mission to keep theatre accessible for all. All main stage tickets are pay-what-you-can, allowing people of any and all means to experience live performance. Otherworld targets theatre patrons of all ages, genders, and races, with a particular focus on fans of Science Fiction and Fantasy, or "genre" storytelling. This is a large, underserved market, particularly when it comes to live theatre. Otherworld’s productions reach a wide ranging audience and multiple fandoms.
Visit the Otherworld virtually at OtherworldTheatre.organd on Twitter (@OtherworldThtre), Facebook,YouTube, and Instagram.
