REVIEWS FROM THE MINNESOTA
FRINGE FESTIVAL:
When meeting your hero doesn't disappoint
This was an unplanned show for me, but one that showcases a side of the Fringe
that sometimes gets lost amid the noise. Robert Hubbard runs deep into his own
life for this play about his relationship with his alcoholic father, and his
love of the Denver Broncos and legendary quarterback John Elway. You don't need
to be a fan of pro football to be swept up in the story, or fully engage with
Hubbard's personal, heartfelt approach.
-- Ed Huyck, CityPages
As true as memory will allow
...a proviso on Robert Hubbard's program I can definitely relate to. This was a
powerful performance. I came expecting to postcard, because the theme is
similar to my own show - but I was too blown away to put my marketing hat on. This
was a powerful performance.
Robert Hubbard's portrait of
his alcoholic father reminded me in many ways of Scott Russell Sanders'
"Under the Influence," an essay that is required reading in many
memoir classes. "The Walking Man is a beautifully balanced segment in and
of itself, one which sets the context for phrases like "sweet
redemption."
Though it isn't central to the piece, having been an adjunct at Wheaton for a
semester, I enjoyed the way Hubbard portrayed, with warmth, affection, insight,
and humor, the different academic personalities of the evangelical Christian
colleges - Calvin, Trinity, Wheaton, Valpariso.
I also enjoyed how deftly he mapped theological concepts onto something as
apparently secular as football. None of this is done in a heavy-handed,
"witnessing" way; the quiet sincerity of the performance speaks for
itself. You do not need to like football, or know anything about John Elway (I
didn't); you do not need to be Christian (I'm not); you do not even need to be
the adult child of an alcoholic (ditto, though the therapists keep asking if
I'm sure). You will still understand the power of giving and receiving
forgiveness.
Plus it's damned good theater. Well, maybe not damned good - except for the bit
about Al Davis being the Prince of Darkness. But good.
---Paula Nancarrow, Northstar Storytelling League
Sweet Redemption
Okay, so not much can make me tear up these days, but the way that this show
strings together father/son relationships, the way that they invest themselves
in sport, and the magical thinking that gets infused in all of sports, brings
about a catharsis that kept echoing, for me, with the phrase "sweet
redemption." And I think of how rarely the phrase "sweet
redemption" has resonated so fully for me, as it does through this show.
Bob is engaging, and honest, and sincere.
--Timothy Mooney, Timothy Mooney Repertory Theatre
See this extraordinary
performance
This is the
magic of Fringe. You walk into a show cold and find a gem. This is one of
those. It is a big hearted, moving, tour de force -- a monologue that will
sweep you up in its story and passions. And you don't need to care or know
about football to love this exquisite and unforgettable performance. A standing
ovation for Robert Hubbard!! You really captured me with this one!
--- Marcia Avner, Fringe.com
Bravura, heart-rending
performance
Tightly bound, dramatically told, quietly and harshly autobiographical story of
a boy and his dad and their "bond", such as it could be. Perhaps the most tear-jerking show for me. Pathos, a little humor, and some redemption (non-religious sort) as
well. Please see this show if you ever get the chance. A great storyteller, with a great story and delivery.
---Suzanne
Sharrock Fringe.com
REVIEWS FROM THE KANSAS CITY FRINGE FESTIVAL:
"It’s a fine storytelling show, one in which I found myself sitting in the
audience with a big goofy smile on my face. Definitely for anyone with a love
of the sport; but just as definitely for anyone with an understanding of
obsession."
-- Phillip Andrew Bennett Low, Twin
Cities Daily Planet
"Beautifully written and delightfully performed, HELECOPTERS tells of
football as a driving force between a father and a son. Funny and poignant,
Hubbard has crafted an hour of theatre that works really well. I was visibly
moved, as was the rest of the crowd. Give yourself this gift!"
-- kcstage.com