A devilishly humorous night out

Published Mar 10, 2015

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You Bet Your Life

Director: Drew Rienstra

Cast: Amy Trout, Roland Perold, David Fick

Choreography: William Jones

Venue: Alexander Bar’s Upstairs

UNTIL: March 21

 

 

There are few sources of inspiration for musical comedy more unlikely than a TV reality game show in purgatory, where the saying “You bet your life!” takes on a whole new meaning as audience votes determine whether the reluctant guest or the ebullient host is to be released from spiritual limbo, a choice based on reruns of the newcomer’s life.

Roland Perold and David Fick have turned this unpromising material into a show that keeps the audience wondering “what next?” – and the result is an evening of pure entertainment with catchy songs promoting the action.

Drew Rienstra’s direction sets a sturdy pace for the performers, who have the stamina to sustain it without the benefit of an interval, and William Jones’s choreography adds visual appeal.

The best part of this production is the acting: full marks to Amy Trout (pictured right), who apart from singing up a storm portrays every female character with equal conviction, from the graceless mother of Jonny (the guest) to his array of ex-girlfriends, not to mention his piano teacher, Mrs Henderson, and Patricia who calls the shots in this show from hell.

Roland Perold is utterly plausible as the bright and brittle TV show host, complete with alarming smile and shifty manner; one senses his anxiety behind all the phony charm as it’s his salvation or that of Jonny at stake. Perold’s versatility comes to the fore when he metamorphoses into a scary Russian drag queen in the course of these reruns of Jonny’s life.

David Fick is perfectly cast as Jonny: he captures Jonny’s apprehension and vulnerability, striking the right balance between good and evil to suggest an average fellow with whom most people can identify. The audience’s decision at the end of the show is predictable, so You Bet Your Life! leaves a sweet taste.

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