Dual Exhaust, Nails and Ostrega, and Improsia
Zach Ward and Beth Melewski, aka Dual Exhaust, "favor dramatic exposition over punch lines and trust each other's instincts, adding layer upon layer to even the most implausible scenarios. The looseness of their chosen form -- a bastardization of the Harold with every ounce of structure bled from it -- means that they expend almost as much effort setting traps for themselves as they do on a variety of Houdini acts to escape them. But the payoff for all the time spent chasing false leads is extraordinary: Ward and Melewski's monologues and scenes are seamless, and the narrative is more intricate than a team five times the size (and with five times the technical resources) could muster," said Reader critic Nick Green last year. New Yorkers Jen Nails and Jennifer Ostrega, each a veteran of her own one-woman show, premiere their two-person act at this year's festival. Improsia, from Seattle, indulges in "a free-form, experimental take on improvised theater." Playground, 10 PM. $15.