by ⭐⭐⭐½
Father Greg Orian just wants to get back into God’s good graces, so he has dedicated himself to the Catholic church, singing his way through a service but also battling his demons. Specifically, one demon who used to date…Satan?
Father Greg is really Natasha Mercado in drag, one of the many Los Angeles clowns to emerge confidently enough to spread throughout the Fringe. It’s still feeling raw as a show, but Mercado has a tender touch with the audience as she persuades them to play along, while also displaying just the right amount of rage at her tech, Duncan, to get the lighting cues right. This is definitely the type of horny holy production that gets better the more Mercado has to work with in terms of an audience. My crowd was a little light and shy, which made Mercado work harder.
I imagine it’d be even funnier if her co-director, Chad Damiani, provided the voice of God to put Father Greg in his place and in his paces. But that’s not this show, exactly. Mercado is left alone to shepherd her flock. You want to root for her and for Father Greg, though, so here’s hoping her congregation grows before Fringe ends.
#1 Son by Natasha Mercado plays at Underbelly Cowgate during the 2024 Edinburgh Fringe
