BWW Reviews: BOB: A LIFE IN FIVE ACTS Tickles and Endears

The first few weeks of the year are a cultural wasteland around Birmingham. I was having a hard time finding anything to review. After so many Christmas shows, the theatres are gearing up for their next endeavors towards the end of January and first part of February. I did however find an offering from Theatre Downtown. BOB: A LIFE IN FIVE ACTS was new to me so I ordered my tickets wondering what exactly I was getting myself into.

After arriving at the theatre and reading that they had done the show with no director, I was really concerned. The program said that they had decided to "try something different" and that "the entire cast blocked, critiqued, and worked as a true ensemble to tell this story." I didn't share this with my companion, who I was afraid would suggest we leave immediately. Trying to be open and adventurous, I watched the theatre fill (the last time I was there my group of five was basically the entire audience so the crowd was wonderful) and hoped for the best.

I am glad we stayed. BOB is well written, funny and interesting. Each member of the chorus is asked to portray several, varied characters and each person is up for the challenge. The show is long, but well paced and the four "interludes" between acts had me laughing out loud as well as appreciating the nod back to the old days of theatre. (Don't let the five acts scare you, the first half includes 3 "acts", the last half two. The show runs two hours and 15 minutes including only one fifteen minute intermission.)

If you don't like puns, slapstick, jokes, situational comedy and any other type of comedy you can imagine, then stay home. If you aren't interested in an inventive story and unrestrained, imaginative acting then this is not for you. But if you are up for an adventure and altogether hilarious night at the theatre, then you don't want to miss this one.

Jared Funderburg as Bob is innocent as a toddler, inquisitive as an adolescent, confused as a teenager, arrogant as an adult, and endearing as an old man. I could certainly find fault with his insistence on being in his underwear more than necessary, but the play kept me too involved to complain about that. The chorus, made up of the theatre's artistic director Daniel Martin, Penny Thomas, Flannery Hooks and Rich Mansfield is spot on with most of the portrayals, and also serves as narrators at times, a true Greek chorus in the telling of Bob's life.

My one complaint would be the set. While colorful and workable in its layout, I do not understand why you would use a wrinkled bedsheet for a screen, (projections are used throughout the show.) There are inexpensive, more viable solutions. The gaps on the sides of the "screen" and the middle gap in the curtains in the two doorways left the backstage area somewhat exposed, especially when the sheet came off on one side during the first act. The two doorways were made too narrow and not only did actors hit the sides often going in and out with props, but each time they did, I feared the whole backdrop was about to fall down, which took me out of the moment. Luckily, the story and actors brought me right back in, but theatres need to realize that the sets are an integral part of the play. Other technical aspects were good- I loved the preshow music and saw audience members of all ages swaying and singing to the tunes of the 70's before the show and at intermission. The lighting was interesting and appropriate, although I wish the actors had stepped into their light better a couple of times, but now I am just being picky!

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the play and have already recommended it to several of my theatre going friends. For a fun night out with a lot of laughs, as well as thought provoking themes during these long, bleak days of January, do yourself a favor and enjoy an adventure to Theatre Downtown to see BOB for yourself. BOB continues the next two weekends, January 15-17 and 22-24 at 8pm. Contact 205-565-8TDT or theatredowntown.org for ticket information.

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