Review: DEADLIE AFFAIRS: ARDEN OF FAVERSHAM presented by Guillotine Theatre at Capital Fringe

We all know how hard the life of a performer can be. You inevitably have to take gigs you don't want to take in order to make some income. So, what happens then when you are a classically trained actress and the only jobs you can get are on crime reenactment shows? The good folks at Guillotine Theatre show you with their entry into this year's Capital Fringe Festival, Deadlie Affairs: Arden of Faversham.

Set in a theatre group house in the DC neighborhood of Petworth we meet Tina (Catherine Aselford) and Cathy (Cate Brewer). Cathy has been turned down yet again for a "legit" acting role, this time for a production of The Duchess of Malfi. As you might have guessed, this means the ladies are usually late paying their rent. Their landlord Herb (Terence Aselford) works for DC Metro by day. I feel sorry for him already. While Herb understands that the two ladies have been reduced to working on crime reenactment television shows, he still wants his money.

Tina comes up with an idea for a Fringe production. It's a stage adaptation of Thomas Kyd's Elizabethan drama Arden of Faversham. You remember that one, right? Herb is persuaded to join in as the ladies perform an abbreviated version of the play. After all there is a time restriction for Fringe productions. As the play progresses, you will see that life imitates art for one of the characters. I'll leave it there.

The trio of actors also directed the show with Brewer and Mrs. Aselford also authoring the script. There are plenty of insider DC theatre references that many of you will laugh out loud at throughout.

The trio work as a unit, but my favorite is Cate Brewer as Cathy. She really wants to become a serious actress and the only roles she gets cast as are things like third sphere carrier from the left - and that's only because another actress dropped out.

Catherine Aselford provides a strong performance as Tina as she guides Herb through Arden of Faversham as he plays his several characters

Terence Aselford is hilarious as Herb, our metro employee turned landlord.

Deadlie Affairs: Arden of Faversham is a fun jaunt into the dark side of being a performer in DC. I enjoyed it and whether you work in the industry or just like watching good theatre, this show provides real pleasure.

Running Time: 40 minutes with no intermission.

Deadlie Affairs: Arden of Faversham runs through July 28, 2018 at Violet - Arena Stage, Mead Center for American Theater, which is located at 1101 6th St. SW in Washington, DC.

For tickets, click here. For a full listing of all things Capital Fringe, click here.

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