By David F. Rooney
Actresses Toni Johnston and Donna MacLeod are so good that if you go see Aspartame and Blue Lace this weekend and you won’t be able to stop laughing.
From the moment the curtain rises on Aspartame and Blue Lace you’ll want to laugh. Johnston is hysterical and MacLeod is the perfect foil in this Odd Couple-style comedy, directed by Darren McKay, that also pokes fun at computer technology, the generation gap and the unwillingness of some people to age gracefully.
The other half of this theatrical evening is devoted to Pizza With Shrimp on Top, directed by Jennifer Crockford.. This is a slightly more serious play that tackles the issue of youth suicide. It is an existentialist one-act play that is very reminiscent of Jean-Paul Sartre’s No Exit. While the subject matter is serious it tackles it in a relatively light manner although some moments will leave you with a lump in your throat and a tear in your eye. The youthful cast in this play — Madeline Braun, Logan MacDougall, Mike Sheukenek, Randal Walmsley, Meagan Walford and JP Lord — is very, very good. Their performances are believable and the makeup effects are excellent. These kids may look dead but their acting is lively and entertaining.
These two one=act plays are certainly worth a look by people who enjoy good theatre in general and who appreciate the Revelstoke Theatre Company in particular.
A Slice of Life is being performed at the Revelstoke Visual Arts Centre, located at 320 Wilson, on Jan. 14-16 and Jan. 21-23. Refreshments will be served before the curtain rises and during intermission. Tickets are available from the Revelstoke Credit Union and at the door. But please be aware that these performances will be in a relatively intimate setting and seating is limited.
If you’d like a sneak peek at a brief scene from each play please click here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HjuEdmiI9qE
