BorderLight Theater Festival Review, Day One: Wednesday, July 24

Once again, chandelier-lit Playhouse Square is being animated in strange ways. Is that a young woman contorting herself on a metal hoop mounted on the East 14th sidewalk? Are those indigenous dancers in full native costume dancing on the usually placid US Bank Plaza?

Well, of course! Once again, the always surprising and just slightly out-of-control fringe-theater experience—Cleveland's 2024 BorderLight Festival—is alive and kicking in and around Euclid and East 14th Street.

If you weren't there yesterday for the handful of initial shows and opening night party, you still have three more days. From today (Thursday) through this Saturday, so you can sample the theatrical wares created by local folks, people from around the U.S., and beyond. It all happens on 20 stages, most of them indoors and air conditioned.

And it is indeed a feast with more than 47 shows Thursday, 48 on Friday and an astounding 63 for the finale on Saturday— with many happening simultaneously on 20 stages. Of course, counting shows at BorderLight is a fool's errand, since there are likely to be small performances happening out on the street as you make your way from one venue to another. Here's some of the action we caught on Wednesday.

"Indigenous Liberation"
This intertribal group of dancers spins, swirls and stomps in their wildly colorful native costumes, providing 15 minutes of unadulterated energy and jubilation. They perform today at 7:15 PM, as well as Friday and Saturday.

"Sancho & Me — For One Night Only"
If you've never heard of Charles Ignatius Sancho, you will never forget him after experiencing this two-man show (it plays again on Saturday). Taking the lead is the playwright Paterson Joseph who bases his performance on his novel The Secret Diaries of Charles Ignatius Sancho.

As he chats and jokes with the audience, Joseph weaves the tale of Sancho with his own history as a Black man in Britain. Sancho was born on a slave ship during his "middle passage" to England in 1729. Despite that cruel start, Sancho triumphed by becoming a writer, composer, shopkeeper and "Man of Letters."

In a similar way, Joseph fought his way through racism to achieve his current status as an author, playwright and thoroughly engrossing performer. His riveting eyes and casual, off-hand demeanor keep the audience glued to his performance for his 75-minute opening act.

In the second act, Joseph returns in full period costume embodying Sancho. This part of the performance is structured as a talkback, as he fields questions from the audience. While it's interesting, it doesn't have the momentum and polish of Act One.

Throughout the performance, his accompanist Ben Park adds subtle but effective musical notes and pre-recorded segments to enhance the presentation.

Overall, "Sancho & Me" is about growing up Black and British, centuries apart. It explores multiple aspects of these two lives including slavery and racism, education and self-improvement (big shout-out to libraries), as well as the exquisite tortures of young love.

It is a poignant and consistently humorous piece, perfect for the fringe experience.

BorderLight Theater Festival
Through Saturday, July 27—at, in and all around Playhouse Square, Euclid and E. 14 St., borderlight.org .