Show: Wiley and the Hairy Man
Company: Paul Mesner Puppets
Venue: Mad Cow Theatre (corner of Pine St. and Magnolia Ave.)
Show times: Wed, Nov 1, 7:00 PM; Fri, Nov 3, 10:30 AM; Fri, Nov 3, 1:00 PM;
Tickets: $15, $12 with Student ID
Call: 407-297-8788 - info and tickets

Paul Mesner is clearly an accomplished puppet performer and builder. I know this because he performed the entire show on his own, live, doing all the voices AND running the tape machine! Paul has been performing Wiley for almost 20 years now, testified by the fact that some of the puppets are built from "Reagan Era Government Cheese Boxes".

The story follows a young boy living on the Mississippi River with his mother, a dog, a few chickens and a young pig. Mesner instantly set the stage with the backdrop and set, a little music, and a bit of chicken dancing. We then meet Wiley and his mother, who sends him out to fetch some bamboo to fix the chicken coop. I don't want to give too much away, but there is some business involving an infamous folk legend called The Hairy Man and his hunger for human flesh.

At $15 per seat, this is not exactly the least expensive entertainment you could get, but there is some hope. First of all, the festival is running a special: show up more than 30 minutes prior to showtime, and get a friend in free! Free is good. There are also student and child prices offered.

The second bit of good news is the festival atmosphere itself: everyone there is nice to talk to and they are all eager to share. Puppeteers and puppet lovers from around the country are in attendance, and there is a good amount of time in the hall to chat. events like last night's free wine and cheese reception and Saturday's 5:45 mixer are also there in order to encourage conversation and networking. Almost every show is followed by a talk back session, where you get to speak to the performers you just saw live. That is certainly one thing Fringe shows often lack.

As Wiley is the only paid show I've attended thusfar, I can't really reccomend it over other performances, but it is certainly worth it in my mind.