Ed Goodman, the creator/writer/producer and voice of the Raven, Mr. Poe’s sidekick of The Poe Show, answered some quick questions for @SeeItOrSkipItLA!
*Disclaimer – Wait, I’d just like to say I’ve never answered questions about the show like this before so if I do it wrong you can come around backstage after the show and punch me in the mouth. Fair enough.
1. What was it about Edgar Allan Poe that screamed, “He would make a fantastic late-night variety show host!” to you?
A: I think the initial thought was he would not be a fantastic late-night host. But the more I fooled with it, the more it revealed itself as this much larger, perfectly off idea. Once you accept that it’s the 1800’s and Poe has a talk show, all these other things start lining up. Who would his guests be? How would he handle the controversies of the day? And you can’t just rely on a handful of anachronistic jokes to carry you for an hour. You gotta dig into things a bit more, see what truths continue to ring through to this day. It’s pretty ugly at its core. I mean, we were slaughtering and enslaving like the empires we’d fled just a few decades before. And Poe died alone, impoverished, and probably insane. But this isn’t The Revisionist History Downer Parade. It’s late-night comedy. So it ends up being a nice blend of history, horror, literature, and jokes. Lots of jokes.
2. What kind of acts can audiences expect, and do they change or can people catch them all in one show?
A: The “acts” won’t change, per se. We have one script but it won’t be the same show every night. Mr. Hunt is a master improviser and likes to keep things fresh. That provides a certain edge. Poe and the Raven are free to react to the room and play off each other. But there are also well honed bits that will be note-for-note every night. There will naturally be some bits that progress as the run continues. I’d say keep in mind that this thing takes on a life of its own when it’s up and running. I love it because the show I see in my head (or on the script in front of me) is not exactly the show that happens on stage. This is why I love The Poe Show so much. It still surprises and delights me. Like some sort of crazy pun monster from the library graveyard that knows just how I like to be kissed.
No, wait–
3. What about your show makes it perfect for the Fringe?
A: It’s loud and funny like your mom. (Oh Snap!) I think The Fringe is about innovative premises. It’s a chance for people to ram things into each other and see what sort of creative sparks fly. I think that’s why you see so many takes on classics. Take a known and beat it against an unknown as hard as you can. The Rumsfield Method. The Poe Show has a pretty strong premise, I think, and I hope people feel like we beat the crap out of it every night.
4. What do you hope the audience walks away with after your show?
A: If they can walk, I hope they’re laughing and talking. I hope they’re entertained and intrigued and want to come back and see if that one thing happens again or if was unique to that show. I want people to feel like they just got off the Western Culture Hurricane Ride at Six Flags. Also, I hope they have pun-filled nightmares, like Poe did.
5. What do you love about the Fringe?
A: The people, the shows and the opportunity to improve. The Fringe parties are what I imagined LA would be like all the time. Rooms full of creative, dynamic people swirling around being big and fun, drinking and laughing, fooling with people in weird costumes.
I think I have a crush on the Red Exclamation Point Fringe Mascot. She’s so spritely and…red…
Am I the only one? I am? Just me? Alright.
The Fringe is like making out in the dark – you know there’s some good stuff right in front of you but you’re gonna have to feel your way to it. It’s what you’d hope brave, audacious theater would look like all the time. There are so many awesome, crazy pieces to see. What is it, 6000 shows this year? I’ve got so many favorites on the Fringe site I’ve rendered that a pointless system. Last year I created a spreadsheet so I could keep track of all the shows I wanted to see and still missed a bunch. Why the rest of LA doesn’t completely shut down and just Fringe it up for a month I don’t know. That’s what I’m doing. Poe Show!
P.S. Please don’t punch me in the mouth.
Intrigued? You can see The Poe Show on these days:
Theater Asylum
June 04, 2015 @10:00 PM
June 13, 2015 @11:55 PM
June 20, 2015 @ 5:30 PM
June 24, 2015 @ 8:30 PM
June 27, 2015 @ 4:30 PM
Okay fine, you can have a discount too!
Preview is $7
Follow @PoeShowLA for last minute specials.
For ticketing click here.
*As a special thank-you to all Fringers following my coverage, please enjoy 15% off purchases at In Heels Productions throughout the month of June. Use code HFF15 at checkout!