The Official Napoleon Dynamite Dance Class

Written By: Darren Boquist

Director: Dave Mott

Company: V -Line Productions

Venue: BYOV C-Funky Buddha

Edmonton International Fringe Festival from August 14-17nd, 20-24th

Reviewed by: Xanthe Couture (Edmonton Correspondent - Canada)

The only good part of The Official Napoleon Dynamite Dance Class was the fact that there was a bar in the venue. The play itself was watching the one actor, Darren Boquist play a cast of characters all enrolled in the dance class of a man named Bob, who is a weak imitation of Napoleon Dynamite.

This of course, is all part of the plot since Bob's signature dance move was stolen by Napoleon Dynamite. The very concept of this play was a bad idea, and a one man show does not make it any better. The play started with off with a monologue from Wig, and set the tone for the very peculiar and hard to follow play that followed.

The only laughter overheard from the small audience was half hearted chuckles, with the only exception being when volunteers were selected from the audience to play twister while pretending to all be the same character.

There is credit due for the sake of Boquist's energy and his ability to put himself out there and play some very strange parts, from a chain smoking scratchy voiced lady named Rita to a character whose face was the wig Boquist wore parted over the front of his face. Boquist also had to manage the sound clips which were used to fill in the part of Napoleon Dynamite.

It was also nice to know that Fringe goers will sit through a performance that is not the greatest, and be supportive of the actor who is trying his best to entertain them and at the end at least offering up some recommendations of other plays to go and see.