Fringe Festival presents world premiere of “Welcome to Heretofore”
Listen to this articleThe time is circa 1880 and the location is in America’s great west way out in the outskirts of nowhere. Mr. Barker, played by Steve Nevil, is an elderly gentleman with a significant level of physical disability. To help him with his daily requirements his one and only neighbor Sno played by Doug Haverty stops by for a visit every day. This routine has been going on for a very long time. There is but one window in Mr. Barker’s modest cabin and to look out of it one must climb a ladder. Sno climbs the ladder and reports that yet again there is absolutely nothing out there.
The banter between Mr. Barker and Sno is replete with wit and humor and sets a clear tone for their mutual reality. Nothing is going to change, there is no other world. There is only Mr. Barker’s modest cabin and an even more modest cabin occupied by Sno. That’s it.
That is until one day when a very unexpected event happens as a woman who is both very attractive and also very rough around the edges shows up with her six-shooter drawn and ready. Her name is Fix and she is played by Leslie Caveny. It doesn’t take long for an attraction to develop between Fix and Sno. So what happens next? What do you think might happen under such circumstances and what, if any, role does Mr. Barker play in the events of the moment?
The performance is short, less than an hour and the set is modest. But the story told is at worst warm, pleasant, funny and entertaining and at its best compelling. When it ends Mr. Barker has made it to the top of the ladder and your spirit will be cheerful and elevated as well. Welcome to Heretofore is an excellent entry in this year’s Hollywood Fringe Festival.
Welcome to Heretofore may be enjoyed at the Hudson Guild Theatre, 6539 Santa Monica Boulevard, Los Angeles, California. The remaining schedule is:
- June 8th – Thursday at 5:00 p.m.
- June 10th – Saturday at 5:00 p.m.
- June 14th – Wednesday at 5:00 p.m.
- June 19th – Monday at 8:00 p.m.
- June 223rd – Friday at 5:00 p.m.
Tickets are only $12.00 and may be purchased online here or at the Hollywood Fringe website.
Top photo: Leslie Caveny, Steve Nevil and Doug Haverty
Ron Irwin was born in Chicago, Illinois a long time ago. He served in the Marine Corps in Vietnam, became a trial lawyer, TV and radio host, CEO of a public company and once held an Emmy. He never won an Emmy he just held one. Ron has written and published twelve books. His most important book to date is “Live, Die, Live Again” in which Ron tells of his early life and his unexpected and very temporary death in 2012. That experience dramatically refocused his life and within the pages of that book Ron reveals how he achieved a much healthier life, ridding himself of Diabetes, Cancer and Heart Failure. Now Ron enjoys writing about many things including health topics, travel [he has circled the globe several times], adventure, culinary experiences and the world of performing art. Ron’s motto is “Live better, live longer and live stronger because it feels great and annoys others.” Contact the author.