We have reached the end of July, gotten a little sun, and managed by and large to forget that point in early February when we vowed to somehow escape this god-forsaken arctic outpost of limitless despair and sun-starved soul crushing. Anyway...as we were saying, it's the end of July, which means, happily, that the Fringe is back. This weekend and next, take in performances that include (random sample) Greek tragedy and sock puppets, a Harry Potter knock-off (call in the lawyers), a hypnotist, June Cleaver as a homicidal house frau (call in the therapists), improv, dance, Lovecraft (call in the exorcists), Elizabethan Tarantino, and special forces pointing firearms at penguins (call in Jesse Ventura). New venues include Gremlin Theatre and Augsburg College, and the U of M's Rarig Center evinces an embarrassment of theatrical riches (Bedlam Theatre will be Fringe Central, a place to rest... More >>>