Review: A CONFLUENCE OF MAGICAL ARSEHOLES at Rarig Stoll Thrust Theatre

There is really no subtle way to introduce A Confluence of Magical Arseholes. The title pretty much tells you what kind of night you're in for.

The Winding Sheet Outfit takes on the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, a group of occultists, artists, writers and assorted weirdos from the late 1800s and early 1900s, and turns their story into a wonderfully chaotic musical comedy. W. B. Yeats, Aleister Crowley, Bram Stoker, Florence Farr, Samuel MacGregor Mathers and the rest of this eccentric bunch all make appearances, along with plenty of egos, mystical nonsense and theatrical ridiculousness.

And, yes, Yeats kicking Crowley's ass is part of the story.

What makes the show work is that the cast completely commits to the insanity of it. There is no hesitation about how ridiculous the material is, and that commitment makes the silliness land. These performers know how to play comedy, and they aren't afraid to go big with it.

Michael Rogers has a great time as Aleister Crowley, bringing exactly the sort of oversized personality you'd expect from a character like that. Mark Benzel's W. B. Yeats is equally entertaining, and the two make a particularly fun pairing. Derek Lee Miller, Dan Linden, Heather Bunch, Kristina Fjellman, Megan Campbell Lagas, Boo Segersin, Joshua Swantz and Sam Landman all add to the increasingly bizarre world around them.

Amber Bjork directs and also appears in the show, and her direction keeps the production moving. There is a lot happening, but it never feels like the cast is holding back. The whole thing has the energy of a group of very talented theater people getting together and deciding to see just how far they can take a ridiculous idea.

The music is a big part of that. Joshua Swantz serves as musical director, with Boo Segersin working on the harmonies, and the songs add another layer to the comedy. This isn't a straight historical retelling with a few jokes thrown in. It's much more of a musical comedy revue that happens to be populated by famous occultists and writers.

And then there is the language. The show earns its title. There is a lot of swearing, plenty of deliberately crude humor and some truly ridiculous lines. If you're easily offended by profanity, this probably isn't your show. If you're not, there's a lot to enjoy.

One of my favorite things about Fringe is seeing experienced Twin Cities performers get together and make something that is completely their own. That is very much what A Confluence of Magical Arseholes feels like. The cast clearly knows each other, knows comedy and knows how to embrace the weirdness instead of trying to make it more respectable than it needs to be.

You don't need to know much about the Golden Dawn before walking into the theater. In fact, I'm not sure knowing a lot would necessarily make the show any less ridiculous. It's more fun to simply let the characters, songs and increasingly strange situations wash over you.

A Confluence of Magical Arseholes is weird, loud, profane and very silly — and that's exactly the point.

If you're looking for a Fringe show that doesn't take itself too seriously and gives a talented group of performers permission to completely embrace the absurd, this is one to check out.

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