Friends Like These

It’s difficult to write a review about such a well-written show and not just spoil the heck out of the plot for those of you who haven’t had a chance to see it yet! For me, there was no plot twist. It sounds twisted, but I knew who I wanted the antagonist to be and it was compelling to watch that all unfold. For others it came as an unsettling surprise, which was indicated by the audible raw emotions coming from the packed house. I think the characters are really well-defined, each with a language of their own. I knew all these people in HS. I especially liked watching the growth of each of these characters, extending beyond their stereotypes, keeping them real and human and multifaceted. Well, everyone except for the antagonist, who ... full review

SPOILERS! (saw during preview, so things may be different!) Having little knowledge of the show beforehand, the first tidbit of information pushed me squirming a bit into my seat. The lights go off, audio clippings of news and television seep into the audience, and the fact that the show is going to be about a school shooting immediately becomes clear. With such recent tragedies, and seemingly exponentially increasing numbers of them, the subject matter felt extremely prescient, and the audience was on their toes from the start. Personally, my expectations for the standards of the piece were immediately raised, my thoughts somewhere along the lines of "This subject matter is extremely raw and feels very close to home right now. This be... full review

Amazing - funny, thought provoking - a gripping 90 minutes with twists and turns throughout the play. The writing is fantastic, performers are terrific, direction is clever -- MUST SEE... full review

Outstanding show! Greg Crafts writes a deeply meaningful and thought-provoking play about one of the most tragic aspects of modern day American culture: school shootings. Very strong performances by the entire cast and very well directed. Fast paced, keeps your interest and emotionally connects you with the characters and circumstances. Highly recommend to EVERYONE! Go see this show!!!... full review

The 90s, man. The 19-frickin'-90s. This show looks a little like wishful thinking for geeks, but spends enough time with each of the leads that we begin to remember how crazy it is to be a teen, and how anything can happen. We had many laugh out loud moments from a great combination of acting, staging, and writing. The show uses as its twist something that is statistically unlikely, and its effort to do so leaves a few weak points. That aside, the whole production is strong and enjoyable. If you like geekiness, high school drama, the 90s, and/or tragedy, this show is for you.... full review

A heartbreaking and powerful piece of theatre! The first Fringe show to make me cry! ... full review

Friends Like These is an intense and genuine portrayal of the consequences of high school bullying. The talented cast brings what could be two dimensional stereotypes into well-rounded and honest characters. With an engaging mix of comedy laced through the heavy material, this is a poignant and heartfelt show not to be missed. ... full review

What is it that turns one alienated teenager into a mass murderer while another might opt to grit it out in hopes of an “It Gets Better” post-high school future? These questions lie at the heart of Gregory Crafts’ enlightening, affecting 2009 drama Friends Like Us, back for a repeat engagement at Hollywood Fringe 2014. Geek-in-black Garrett (Scott Sharma), wrestler-nerd Bryan (Sean Casey Flanagan), and angry punk chick Diz (Sammi Lappin) are a trio of inseparable best friends for whom the Medieval fantasy role-play game “Haven” offers weekend escape from their high school hell—that is until in-crowd cheerleader Nicole (Parissa Koo) throws a wrench into their friendship with ultimately fatal consequences. Nicole’s breakup with Garre... full review