Review: FRED, TED, JACK, AND HAROLD at Unhinged Productions At Hanover Little Theatre

Matt Fox’s 2020 dark comedy Fred, Ted, Jack, and Harold takes the stage in its East coast premier! Unhinged Productions, Hanover’s newest all-volunteer theatre company, presents Fred, Ted, Jack, and Harold as its second production since its inception in the fall of 2025. “Championing experimental, black-box style theatre arts in the Hanover area,” Unhinged Productions seeks to offer something fun and different for theatre lovers. If you’re a fan of true crime stories, shows like Criminal Minds, and off-kilter comedy, or if you’ve ever wondered if an office job could be torture, Fred, Ted, Jack, and Harold may be just the production for you. The show only runs for one weekend, April 17-19, at Hanover Little Theatre, so for more information and to get your tickets, visit https://www.facebook.com/p/Unhinged-Productions-61579291840798/.

Director Doug Cooper, with co-director Courtney McDougall, stage manager Morgan Fleeger, assistant stage manager Brigitte Brady, and producer Jeb Beard, create the perfect atmosphere for Fred, Ted, Jack, and Harold. From the preshow and intermission music to the lighting to the costumes (with hair and makeup by Abby Coffman) to the simple but effective set, every element of the production works together beautifully.

Fred, Ted, Jack, and Harold hinges on superb direction and acting. The comedic timing and interactions between the characters can make or break this play, and the team at Unhinged Productions certainly rises to the occasion.

The cast features Andrew Metcalf as Fred, Eric Walker as Ted, Randi Walker as Jack, Alex Wilson as Harold, Anastasia Rosenbrien as Myra, and Lindsey Ringquist as Liz. Metcalf is hilarious as Fred, the uncultured farmer who is not always the brightest in the bunch. Metcalf uses pauses to great comedic effect, and, in the second act, his character’s transformation into his real personality is truly chilling. Eric Walker’s Ted is smooth, confident, and sophisticated. His posture and cat-like movements serve to emphasize his character’s self-assured air. Randi Walker’s Jack is sure to be an audience favorite as she often puts her co-workers in their place with well-timed retorts. Her interactions with the other characters are delightfully complex, filled with energy, tension, and biting humor. Wilson is utterly endearing as Harold. His mannerisms are charming as he swings from consummate professional to timid office worker to justice-seeking union leader. While Rosenbrien is adorable as the bombshell blonde bimbo Myra, she particularly shines in act two as she portrays Myra’s true nature—complicated and intelligent, just waiting for everyone to underestimate her before making her move. Rounding out the cast is Ringquist as Liz, the manager. Her performance as Liz is stunning, from her facial expressions to her chemistry with the rest of the cast to her commanding stage presence.

Saying too much more about the characters and the performance will give away the plot, and it is really something that just needs to be experienced. As everything becomes clear to the audience and to the characters the play takes on layers of meaning and complexity that are unexpected and deeply thought-provoking. Join the cast and crew of Fred, Ted, Jack, and Harold at Hanover Little Theatre this weekend only to experience something new from Unhinged Productions.

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