Evil women, mind pickers, Fred Hampton, one spectacularly overdue library book, and, of course, the usual sex and death: the Chicago Fringe Festival is back for its eighth go-round, filling nine Jefferson Park venues with “the untried and the weird.” Below please find our collected short reviews of 12 shows that run into the festival’s second weekend. It’s all over September 10. —Tony Adler
Jeff Fort and Fred Hampton: A Revolutionary Love Story A timely and intriguing exploration of the relationship between the leaders of the Blackstone Rangers gang and the Chicago branch of the Black Panther Party, this play captures the spirit of what these two ambitious young men aspired to and the ways they were undermined by both internal and external forces. Whatever their individual flaws, their dream of bettering the plight of African-Americans in this country remains urgent, noble, yet unfulfilled. Steven Long wrote and directed. (Thu 9/7, 8:30 PM; Sat 9/9, 2:30 PM; Sun 9/10, 5:30 PM) —Dmitry Samarov
Prakriti: A History of the Present Ishti team Kinnari Vora and Preeti Veerlapati combine several traditions of Indian classical dance in their exploration of the tension between opposing beliefs and the rediscovery of balance. Conceptually a work in progress, Prakriti (Sanskrit for “primal matter”) showcases the expression of faces, hands, and voices to hint at the value of ritual in the practice of daily life. (Sat 9/9, 5:30 PM) (IH)
Through 9/10: times vary, locations vary; see website, chicagofringe.org $10 per show plus $5 admission button Ticket packages $36-$175 plus $5 button
