The 800th Annual Salvation Swing-Off (FringeNYC) NYC Reviews and Tickets
Show-Score Member Reviews (23)
See it if your New Testament knowledge of characters and purgatory is better than mine (many audience members liked this better than I did)
Don't see it if you expect a show about a dance contest to have a fair amount of dancing or dislike profanity that doesn't add to the characters or plot
See it if you have a sense of humor about religion and religious topics.
Don't see it if you wanted to see more swing dancing or if you want a tighter and clearer plot.
See it if you want to support this "let's put on a show" offering. Some nice hair coloring, though!
Don't see it if you crave more than a series of mostly- mild scenes of no consequence leading to a no-thrill ending.
See it if you like bad acting. Great writing/ideas, terribly done. Only 1 good actress. Difficult to watch. Maybe see if you like scantily clad girls.
Don't see it if you expect real swing dancing or you don't like cursing (it's overdone for no good reason). Seriously, the dancing is bad.
See it if You like an enthusiastic cast doing their best.
Don't see it if You would like a better overall story that would keep you interested.
See it if I would not recommend you see this show, but the actress who played the virtues was fun, and the approach to catholic dogma was unique.
Don't see it if you want to see a show which is particularly tight or well acted; if you dislike swearing; or you expect to see lots of dance
See it if you like original ideas, poking fun at religious conventions, relaxing and watching sit-coms.
Don't see it if you are looking for polished plays, deep meaning, high comedy.
See it if You want a surprisingly witty and original take on an afterlife comedy that is progressive in spirit but deftly avoids the obvious.
Don't see it if You are utterly and immovably opposed to the concept.
Critic Reviews (4)
"I wish I could have seen Malissa Petterson’s 'The 800th Annual Salvation Swing-Off' in a more intimate space. Revolving around a dance contest in purgatory, it felt dwarfed and distant, with a large offstage fan drowning out much of the dialogue. Kudos, though, to Stacey Garbarski for her hilarious performance as the Virtues."
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"As much farce as it is melodrama. The clear stand-out in this ensemble is Garbarski, who plays an endless collection of secretaries...The Virtues and Garbarski’s dexterity offer a much-needed familiarity against a series of plots and schemes that can be difficult to follow...Petterson’s script ventures delightfully into the absurd, and suggests a play very different from the coalition of gender, sexuality, piety, and melodrama that underpin 'Salvation Swing-Off' for most of the time."
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"Where the production falls down is in chemistry–the cast often lacks the level of sass to convincingly carry off the saucy dialogue and erotic situations presented–and dancing. For a show centered around a dance contest, the movement of the actors was passable at best…If Petterson ever decided to run this production again in NYC, there’s a strong likelihood that the show could become a long-running cult classic if staged in one of the city’s iconic gay cabaret venues."
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"Petterson's show is littered with intriguing characters…What makes this show stick is its ability to expel laughter that later leads to profound realization...Amusing quips from Lucy herself remind audiences of the delicate balance between right and wrong...While an audience member of the Catholic faith might need the ability to laugh at themselves to enjoy the show to its fullest extent, it's worth its weight in comedic papal gold."
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