The 800th Annual Salvation Swing-Off (FringeNYC) NYC Reviews and Tickets
Show-Score Member Reviews (23)
See it if You like funny and new age humor, with some mocking of oldfashined ways. Also dancing, there is dancing.
Don't see it if dirty humor isn't your thing. Or you don't like having a good laugh.
See it if You enjoy shows that poke fun at religion.
Don't see it if You expect good acting or you know what a basic swing step is and cringe when it is done wrong.
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 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 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.
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 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 grew up catholic and haven't gone to confession in at least a year - you'll be able to relate to at least three of the characters!
Don't see it if You are distracted by over-sized stages or would never ever forget to attach cover letters to your reports.
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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