Fringe review: Dense drama ‘In The Garden of American Heroes’ suffocates itself

Could Be Worse Look Andrew Erskine Wheeler is an unbelievably skilled actor His command of stage and character is extraordinary here if you go to In The Garden of American Heroes go for the masterclass in solo performance But his script suffocates itself Wheeler plays th-century general George Custer having a raving hourlong crash-out hallucinating and disrobing while recapping his life and tarnished legacy The show s smart dense allusions and allegories need breathing room they re never given amid digressive in-character rants and hackneyed snipes at Gen Z and naked Woodstock hippies Meanwhile broader themes never quite coalesce nor does Wheeler satisfyingly justify why Custer is worth revisiting in the first place Still trying to decide what to see Check out all the Pioneer Press Fringe reviews with each show rated on a scale of Must See Worth Considering Could Be Worse or You Can Skip It The Minnesota Fringe Festival is presenting nearly hourlong stage acts from July through Aug around Minneapolis Visit MinnesotaFringe org for ticket and show information Related Articles Fringe review Cambodian musical Apsara is ambitious and sincere but overloaded Fringe review One Who is Home is beautifully frustrating Live Fringe Festival Reviews Best and worst of the theater festival Fringe review Clown Funeral is stacked with goofball antics and audience engagement Fringe review One-man This revealing and undisciplined requirements tightening