Review: How To Survive A Zombie Apocalypse [Hollywood Fringe]
Noah J Nelson on Wednesday, Jun. 22nd
It is only a matter of time before the Zombie Apocalypse is upon us. What was once thought of merely as fantasy has turned the corner. Do you really think the CDC page dedicated to a Zombie outbreak, or the University of Ottawa would task its math wizards with calculating just how the long the human race would survive after the outbreak began*.
Still think this is all fun and games?
The deranged lunatics/good people at The School of Survival don’t think so**. That’s why they’ve developed the informational seminar How To Survive A Zombie Apocalypse, which for some reason has been categorized as a “comedy” by the clearly misinformed people at the Hollywood Fringe Festival.
The seminar is conducted by Dr. Dale Seslick (Ben Muir), who has been educating audiences on the topic of the Zombie Apocalypse since 2009 when the seminar debuted at the Edinburgh Fringe to sold out shows. Dr. Seslick and his team have brought the seminar to Los Angeles, and according to him, the chances of Angelenos surviving a zombie outbreak are slim.
Before the seminar the audience was supplied with name tags, which are integral to the zombie outbreak simulation that Dr. Seslick’s team runs for the audience. This takes the form of hilarious deadly serious sketches scenarios illustrated by survivalist Donald Straite (David Ash), scientist Judy O’Dea (Jessica Napthine), and research subject Tristen Granger (Lee Cooper).
Dr. Seslick and his associates are gifted comedians, deft communicators, and get a lot of laughs to impress a fair degree of knowledge onto the audience. Seminar participants are then quizzed on their knowledge of survival techniques. Those who fail to answer correctly are killed.
That is to say, they are killed in a simulated fashion, by means of the removal of their name tag.
The seminar was a lot of fun, highly informative and attracted a diverse, if small crowd to the Tuesday night showing. Which is a real shame, as Angelenos are getting a rare chance to get serious answers from a published Zombie expert (and iPhone app developer) who has traveled all the way from the United Kingdom to instruct Americans on Zombie survival tactics. I suppose that means that there will be fewer survivors in L.A., which means I can finally get that Hancock Park mansion I’ve always wanted, post Zombie Apocalypse, of course.
How To Survive A Zombie Apocalypse is a production of After Dark Entertainment, and was “devised” by Ben Muir. The show plays at the Theatre Asylum as part of the Hollywood Fringe Festival through June 26. Family friendly, ages 12 and up. $15.
*10 Days. Hope you like sweetbreads.
**Please realize this is a joke. If not, seek professional help.
