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Jeffrey Pfeiffer's whimsical comedy mines a vein of smart-but-silly historical pageantry that suggests an American "Blackadder," but with fairies, talking animals, and other magical folderol thrown in for good measure.

Those who can't get enough of those famous eclectic Fringe moments will love The Battle of Spanktown for the battle scene alone. I can honestly say I've never watched a robot, a badger and a British Governor waging war on the same stage.

THE BATTLE OF SPANKTOWN Premieres at FringeNYC. Heidi Handelsman, who helmed MARY BRIGIT POPPLETON IS WRITING A MEMOIR in the 2007 FringeNYC and Encore Series, directs.

“The Battle of Spanktown” is the perfect sort of show to catch in a fringe festival setting. A mash-up of “The Wind in the Willows,” the American Revolution, Shakespeare and fairy tales, the show is a playful lark that will be appreciated by theatre lovers yet entertaining enough to be embraced (perhaps) by a broader audience. This gang is having a lot of fun, and it’s infectious.

Simply put: The Battle of Spanktown was a DELIGHT. It’s the kind of play that allowed me to constantly discover tiny moments of wonderful, deft little bits of comedy, and an engaging alternative history of our great nation, where our battle for independence was kicked into high gear by an argument over a leftover piece of sailcloth.