Wallace & the Dragon (reviews)

Audience Reviews from the 2007 Minnesota Fringe Festival
forĀ Wallace & the Dragon


 “I LOVED IT!!!” by Mary Anne Barthel: I loved the creative combo of talented live actors, well done film segments and still photos, and original live music weaving an entertaining mixture of fact and fiction. Komodo dragon was playful and magical. Wallace was superb. Original music was awesome and my very favorite part! You will want to take home a copy of the CD soundtrack…I know I did!!



“Entertaining and Educational” by Seamus Murphy: Wallace & The Dragon is a production I might expect to see at the Guthrie Theater. The actors take the audience on a thought-provoking trip back in time. We are encouraged to reconsider Charles Darwin’s solitary spotlight in historical texts regarding theories of evolution. The work behind the script has been researched and very well-written. The production is enhanced with original live music, a crystal clear sound system, and a creative slideshow that serves as a backdrop to help the ticket holder visualize settings from the late 19th century. I would highly recommend this show.



“Edge of your seat Intrigue” by michael murphy: Care for a bit of history interspersed with music and visual art? Don’t miss this performance! It’s a clever blend of the history behind Darwin’s “Origin of Species” with creative music and art. The actor playing Wallace is excellent. An hour well spent — bring someone you can discuss with afterwards….



“stellar” by BN DR: I’ll start with complaints: the music was too loud, the dragons too ridiculous, the girl veil-less, and the recordings silly. All the complaints aside, this was an amazing piece. Though the music was too loud, I was also glad it was there – it provided a nice balance for the long, mostly motionless speeches from the main character. The dragons were laughable, and yet I had the sense of hallucinating myself when I saw them (that’s a good thing, for those of you who have not seen the show yet). The actor who played Wallace was phenomenal. Overall, it was a compelling piece that captured my attention, and had me on the edge of my seat wondering what was going to happen next. Highly recommended.



“WHAT AN ADVENTURE !!!!” by mark nordstrom: Like a trip to an Art Gallery, Concert,Theater, and Historic Museum all in one! This one wasn’t put together overnight! We were amazed at their impressive attention to detail. The performance was a compelling mix of entertainment. Wallace and the Dancing Dragon tied for first place as audience favorites! Refreshingly, unique, and innovative theatrical presentaion!!


“A Fantastic Explosion of Creative Talent” by Kathy Nofftz: A shipwreck, monkeys, a ghost, and dancing dragon all coordinated with music, and a taste of history(and a peek at Minnesota history too).LOVED IT ! This was a trio of entertainment that shouldn’t be missed.



“Extraordinary and Enlightening” by e anderson: 1)Pleasing artistic slides/backdrop movie 2)Skilled performers 3)Talented musicians The incredible mix of media in this show was like 3 performances for the price of one. I thought it was a brilliant idea.



“Wallace and the Dragon” by Sharon Roth: The actor who portrays Wallace is incredible. I loved the interspersing of dialogue with the video/pictures. It was very unusual and made the production more interesting and entertaining. Obviously, a lot of time, research, and creativity went into this whimsical production. Added bonus: it’s educational as well!



“Multiple Media” by Christine Nordin: Wallace and the Dragon: As a production, I thought it was a feast for the senses! Combining live actors with stills for the flash backs and “pupeteering”(the dragon dance) for part of the flashback sequence was brilliant! The lady in white worked really well for me. As for the music, I thought it pulled things together, with a little “silent movie” feel to it! And the twist at the end is intriguing!



“The Story Of A Spiritual Naturalist” by Dave Romm: 
Alfred Russel Wallace deserves to have his story told, the true story of his vision and his blind spots. He was a great scientist and observer with a moral stance above that of the British. Anti-religious but spiritual, he never convinced people that science and the supernatural were woven of the same cloth. Rounded up because of the great live music and the dancing komodo dragon. A Shockwave Radio Theater review.


(Note: The show received three other reviews. Two of those reviews gave the show
three stars and the other gave it only one-and-a-half. We reserve the right to accentuate the positive.)