Tuesday, March 20, 2012

BECKY SHAW

 Becky Shaw
Curious Theatre: 3/10-4/14

By George! I think they did it! “Becky Shaw” is one Hell of a good time!
           
A blind date gone bad has never been this much fun. Bill Hahn’s portrayal of Max, the exasperated and intimacy-challenged macho shithead of the piece is worth the price of admission all on its own. Karen Slack’s portrayal of the deliciously inept titular character is brilliant. From her entrance “dressed like a birthday cake”-Max’s words, not mine! - to her slow mo step-by-step advance on the object of her desires, Slack's performance is nothing short of Cosmic! Dame Billie McBride’s delivery of the conniving and controlling matriarch of this dysfunctional pack of degenerates is an utter pleasure to watch. Brava! Rachel Fowler’s kvetching Suzanna Slater is eminently watchable. John Jurcheck’s intentionally ungrounded and overly sensitive Andrew Porter is spot on. 

          From the laid back jazz at the top of the show to the cookin’ jazz as the play heats up Jason Ducat’s sound design sounds divine. Kevin Brainerd’s “birthday cake” costume design is of the hilariously edible variety. Shannon McKinney’s lighting design is her usual fine work. Although the four vertical panels adorned with rectangular frames in Tina Anderson’s scenic design lent a contemporary abstract backdrop to the piece, the chroma key employed was flat. Perhaps it was meant to be that way so that the characters would pop out more. If so, it succeeded marvelously. Chip Walton is at the top of his form as the director of “Becky Shaw." Was it Herbert Hoover's platform that called for “a chicken in every pot?” This reviewer’s platform for this show is “a butt in every seat!”

                                                       Not to be missed.

                    Bill Hahn, John Jurcheck and Rachel Fowler in "Becky Shaw       




P.S. Gina Gionfriddo, who wrote "Becky Shaw" is that great playwright who penned that awesome play “After Ashley.” 
Hmmm. That hasn’t been done in a while.


Thursday - Saturday; 8 p.m.
, Sunday; 2 p.m.
1080 Acoma Street
curioustheatre.org
303-623-052480 Acoma Street, Denver

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