The 2019 Rogue Festival is underway! The first show I attended was Michael Burgos’ one-man show, The Eulogy. This dark comedy, comprised of six characters delivering a eulogy for the recently-deceased, insanely-obese Tomas, is littered with moments of genuine enjoyment within a mostly solid script. However, with a few too many false endings, and a slew of mishaps, The Eulogy nearly buried itself six feet under if it weren’t for the tremendously charismatic Mr. Burgos saving the show…from itself.
Generally, technical miscues and audience interruptions don’t hinder my ability to enjoy a play, but this opening night performance nearly derailed Mr. Burgos’ ability to effectively deliver what had evidence of being a stellar comedic performance. With a plethora of clever winks and a full-tooth grin that wins the audience over, his journey through the various eulogy-delivering characters is interrupted by his excessive interaction with the audience. However, neither his script nor his performance ever give explicit indication for the type or amount of audience participation desired; so the audience is left with too many awkward pauses while Mr. Burgos’ breaks away from the plot to clarify a bit or, metaphorically, pull teeth to get his intended reaction.
The show itself begins with his name dropping of several notable composers, but is followed with almost no call back to the musical motif, sans a lighter fluid ballet late in the show. Amidst the fray of characters giving their final remarks for the deceased Tomas are mentions of squirrel funerals, a Latin lover, and a hilarious roommate who warned Tomas about his unhealthy eating habits, including an excessive consumption of fried eggs. The audience is privy to much of Tomas’ “dirty laundry” through these eulogies, as well as a peek into Tomas’ childhood, when he is caught, full-mouthed, with chocolate cake. With often too-subtle references in the script and erratic transitions in Mr. Burgos’ physicality and dialects, the transitions between characters is jarring and not theatrically crisp. Though Mr. Burgos’ is a gifted physical comedian and can certainly rock an animal impression or two (his horse face turn is worth the ticket price alone), The Eulogy could certainly use an autopsy report to diagnose what this show needs to reach the level of stellar dark comedy it so desperately is trying to be.
In some ways this is really what #sdfringe18 is all about— what can you do with an empty stage. #michaelburgos is about to show us what with #theeulogy . #emptystage #onemanshow #fringing (at The Geoffrey Off Broadway)
7” restock for the weekend... #theeulogy #nirvana #gatherxvx #dontsleep #davesmalley #sevengenerations @theeulogyca @bridgenine Pick one up at www.ProgrammeHQ.com. (at Programme Skate & Sound)
Saturday December 10. 2016 H2O 1st Album 20th Anniversary Show WISDOM IN CHAINS THE EULOGY SNARL (Debut Show!) @ 924 GILMAN ST. Berkeley, CA TICKETS: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/2699160
#Repost @omertamia ・・・ @madballnyc is performing @alexsbarlbc in Long Beach on September 27th. Support bands on the show are @countime_la @takevengeance and @theeulogyca. This show is gonna be a live one and tickets are selling fast. Pre purchase your tickets at www.alexsbar.com or at the door day of show. Our last Madball show at Alexs sold out and definetly went off!!! LA hardcore come rep for your scene!!!! @hoyaroc357 @mittsmadball #madball #alexsbar #countimela #takevengeance #theeulogy #lahardcore #nyhc #newyorkhardcore #demonstratemystyle #bnb #omerta #omertamia #hardcoremusic #longbeach #omerta #omertamia #oldfashionedgentleman
