Written by Tom Quackenbush

Review by Hunter King

Upper Theatre at theSpace @ Niddry St

Fringe has developed and changed a lot over the last several years, and often it is easy to forget the origins of what the Fringe was and how it started. Ur Mean Kathleen manages to bring Fringe back to its roots (and branches, and limbs) with The Body I Left in Susquehanna National Forest. 

The show begins with a mangled body wrapped around the base of a tree. Quickly the audience is introduced to Claire (August Kiss Fegley) and Pat (Joey D’Amore), a newlywed couple who were on their way to Niagara Falls before Pat unfortunately hit something (that he swears up and down is a deer.) Realizing that what they hit was certainly not a deer, but a person (played impeccably by Kit Colacito), Claire and Pat must quickly decide what to do to fix the situation. After the body starts to talk to them though, things become a bit less clear and Claire and Pat must reexamine their priorities and potentially their relationship.

All three actors bring a conviction to the stage that makes for a compelling and electric performance, never leaving a dull moment. Colacito specifically manages to carry both the show’s emotional and comedic moments while keeping their body almost entirely still for the full run time of the performance. Kiss Fegley and D’Amore are a believable Gen Z couple that haven’t quite figured out their way in the world yet, and actively learn about themselves through the show. Their relationships and character development are truly admirable as the audience watches them process the weight of their situation in real time and the impacts that tragedy can have on a person. 

Tom Quackenbush’s script allows for non-stop laughter, especially while making jokes about things that feel inherently taboo to joke about; this combined with Katie Kunkel’s dynamic and physically hilarious directing makes for a show that is absolutely guaranteed to impress audiences. It is no wonder that the group has been recognized as the “hidden gem” of the Fringe. While you may not see them at first, after you’ve unearthed, or rammed your car into The Body I Left in Susquehanna National Forest, you certainly will not be disappointed.

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