It’s a parlor game we’ve all played – what if I were stranded on a desert island? What if I could start over, free of obligations, debt, and consequences? Rolling By starts when an exploding cruise ship gives four restless twenty-somethings the chance to turn “what if” into “why not?” This is the kind of play you want to see on a hot July night in our nation’s capital. Silly and straightforward, it gives you an excuse to indulge in thoughts of running away to a tropical paradise.
Rather than focus on the strife of ship wreck survival, Rolling By considers what happens when four strangers find themselves stranded in a lifeboat in the Caribbean. They circle in on one question: what if being rescued isn’t the best possible outcome? Can they resist the temptation to strike out on their own, completely escaping their past mistakes and future obligations? Each of the characters in this show brings different demons and ideas to the table as they try to agree on a course of action. Rolling By aims to provide an hour of nautical hilarity—philosophical takeaway optional.
The story takes place entirely in the confines of a lifeboat and the motion of the ocean is simulated by a rolling backdrop powered by an off-stage cyclist. If you are new to the Fringe Festival, Rolling By provides the perfect entry-level combination of amateur theater with a familiar format. If the Fringe scene is well known to you, you may appreciate the change of pace in this simple, one-set show.
Fringe alum Keith Waters joins Sadie Jonath, Nick Morgan, and Allison Aguilar for their maiden performance on a Fringe stage. The production is lead by first-time Fringers Brett Rudder and Alethea Lange, who are thrilled to present you with this dark comedy, a play with a plot.
Venue: Mountain – at Mount Vernon United Methodist Church – 900 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, in Washington, DC.
Click on the following performances to purchase tickets, or go to Rolling By’s Fringe Show Page.
