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OPIE

By Patriac Coakley, Megan Johns, and Olivia Nielsen; Directed by Megan Johns
Part of the 2018 New York International Fringe Festival

Off Off Broadway, Sketch Comedy
Runs through 10.16.18
FringeHUB, 685 Washington Street

 

by Adrienne Urbanski on 10.18.18

 

OPIEOlivia Nielsen and Patriac Coakley in OPIE. Photo by Cole Orloff.

 

BOTTOM LINE: OPIE offers an unusual spin on sketch comedy, creating laugh-out-loud sketches that showcase this duo's talent.

From the second Olivia Nielsen and Patriac Coakley enter the dimly stage with a yellow balloon and a record player, you know that this is not going to be standard sketch comedy. Nielsen and Coakley expertly tackle vastly different styles, even putting on dance and song numbers. The duo show talent for writing, acting, and physical comedy in sketches that explore the difficulties of love and interpersonal relationships.

One scenario is that of a couple recovering from a particularly traumatic marriage counseling session. As they rehash the terrible events, the dark humor becomes more and more hilarious. In another sketch, two pregnant former classmates at a high school reunion share the less-than-ideal circumstances of their lives. Later one of the characters, a former prom queen, reappears and shares a tear-filled dance with her husband, the former prom king—their behavior shows how unhappy they truly are, despite having induced envy in their classmates. Another sketch, this one based in physical humor, shows just how uncomfortable sleeping through the night with a spouse can be. I hope this talented and inventive duo returns to NYC again soon to share more of their comedic brilliance.

(OPIE plays at FringeHUB, 685 Washington Street at Charles Street, through October 16, 2018. Meet at the DARK BLUE FringeNYC flag. The running time is 1 hour. Performances are Fri 10/12 at 3:30, Fri 10/12 at 9:45, Sat 10/13 at 9:30, Sun 10/14 at 5:15, and Tue 10/16 at 7. There is no late seating at FringeNYC. Tickets are $22 (plus $3.69 ticketing fee), $16 (plus $3.51) for seniors, and are ONLY available online at fringenyc.org. For more information visit opie.online.)

 

OPIE is by Patriac Coakley, Megan Johns, and Olivia Nielsen. Directed by Megan Johns.

The cast is Patriac Coakley and Olivia Nielsen.