During the weeks preceding the 1999 New York International Fringe Festival, Playbill On-Line will use "Fringe Watch" to spotlight several Fringe attractions. Look for future stories in the days ahead.

Richard Harrington and Chris Kauffman trade in killing for cabaret in Hotel California, a twisted tribute to Eagles member Don Henley, running Aug. 19-28 at the Red Room as a part of New York's 1999 International Fringe Festival.

Hotel California does feature a performance of the famous Eagles song, albeit in a French accent and with a mime. For this two-man comedy is the story of Gustave Flaubert (no relation to the author), a Belgian mercenary who trades in his life of murder in Colombia for a cabaret featuring mime Nhar, accordion music, a geography quiz and lots of songs.

Harrington and Kauffman wrote, designed, developed, produced and perform California with direction by Gozalo Munoz of Flying Machine and Pat Buckley of Gams on the Lam. The pair have performed California at Surf Reality and Solo Arts Group and have take it to Mezi Ploty, a theatre and music festival in the Czech Republic. After the Fringe, the show will resurface at the Pure Pop Festival in September.

Tickets are $11 and can be reserved by calling (212) 420-8877 or (888) FringeNYC. The Red Room is located on the third floor at 85 East 4th Street between 2nd and 3rd avenues. The New York Fringe Festival is on the internet at http://www.fringenyc.org. -- By Christine Ehren