Review: GUY FOR NOW at Rarig Nolte Xperimental Theatre

I wasn't quite sure what to expect from Guy For Now, and it didn't take long to realize that trying to predict where it was going was probably pointless. This is a show that has its own sense of humor and isn't afraid to get a little weird.

Presented by Old Dog Theatre Company as part of the 2026 Minnesota Fringe Festival, Guy For Now is written by Nicholas Pecora and directed by Abbey Lowenstein. Benjamin Thacker plays Guy, who finds himself surrounded by one strange situation after another as he tries to figure out what exactly is happening and where he fits into all of it.

Thacker has the difficult job of being the more grounded person in a world where almost everyone around him is operating at a completely different level. His reactions are often just as funny as what is actually happening to him.

The cast includes Erika Soukup, Gavin Webb, Andi Davey, Joel Dammeier, Michael Quadrozzi, Alexandria Rumsey and Erin Pecha, with several performers taking on more than one character. Everyone gets a chance to bring their own personality and style of comedy to the production.

Tricia Buerke also appears as the Stage Manager and became one of my favorite parts of the show. Even when she isn't directly involved in a scene, there is usually something happening with her in the background. Her expressions and reactions add another layer of comedy without distracting from what is happening around her.

There is a lot of movement throughout the production, with choreography by Piper Rolfes. The physical side of the show works well with its humor, especially as things become increasingly ridiculous.

While there are plenty of laughs, Guy For Now isn't only interested in being funny. Guy is also trying to understand himself. As he meets these different people and gets pulled into different situations, the show slowly becomes less about figuring out what is happening around him and more about figuring out what he wants for himself.

I didn't always know where the story was headed, but I think that is part of what makes the show work. There is something fun about watching a production that doesn't immediately explain itself and just lets you experience it as it unfolds.

Guy For Now is an unusual comedy with a cast that fully commits to the world Pecora has created. It is silly, sometimes completely unexpected and ultimately has more heart than I initially expected.

Guy For Now played at the Rarig Nolte Xperimental Theatre as part of the 2026 Minnesota Fringe Festival.