Review: Lena Moy-Borgen and Cheo Bourne's OFFICE PARTY at Don't Tell Mama Is Delicious Delectable Fun

As they were saying their thank you speech at the end of their performance of OFFICE PARTY on May 24th, Lena Moy-Borgen thanked the audience for "Letting us be silly with props." That is precisely what Moy-Borgen and performing partner-in-crime Cheo Bourne are doing with their show, one that had a popular residency at Don't Tell Mama pre-pandemic. The program, which is best described as equal parts Laugh-In, Carol Burnett Show, and SCTV episode, is nothing but pure entertainment and fun. There are no profundities, there is no drama, there are no demands to be made on the brain, and thank goodness. Musical comedy cabaret and sketch comedy and prop comedy are essential parts of the small venue entertainment industry because people love to laugh and people love live music and people love entertainers that can give them both, in one sitting.

The premise of Office Party is simple enough and, true to the Moy-Borgen and Bourne brand, undemanding. It's the gang at work blowing off steam. Cheo and Lena appear in their best office drag, they have an Office Manager and an Office Consultant (by way of guest artists), they have an intern (by way of the Don't Tell Mama bartender), and a temp (the Don't Tell Mama server) and they have a room full of fellow employees who also need to blow off some steam from the work week (that would be the audience). There are party hats and party favors and games and prizes and none of it came from any place more expensive than Party City, which is exactly as it should be, because whose office would ever consider giving out trivia prizes that cost more than a box of Red Vines (the most coveted prize of the evening)? From start to finish, it was nothing but fun. Audible sigh of relief.

As emcees and hosts, Lena and Cheo are charming, they are delightful, they are irresistible. They play with the audience perfectly (to be fair, they know most of the audience) and they have remarkable rapport. They don't get in their own way or each other's way - they simply banter back and forth with much humor and great affection, and when they sing their upliftingly fun duets, they lean into one another, as proper friends and co-workers should. And when it is time for one of the two colleagues to stand center stage and sing, their co-worker steps into the shadows takes a seat, and pays attention. Their hosting and game show hosting duties go ever extremely well (if some of their trivia questions are a trifle easy) and their presentation of their guest artists (remember: Consultant and District Manager) is loving and playful.

The party has a theme, each iteration. This month's theme is LET'S GO TO THE MOVIES, so the songs, the trivia, the games, and the conversation are all about movies. Their gifted guest artists (Consultant) Nicole Spano and (District Manager) Jerry Phelps were most welcome additions to the show, with Ms. Spano performing a mash-up so exquisitely crafted that it should be the springboard to her next show, and Mr. Phelps clocking in as the highlight of the evening with two lovely, lovely, lovely pop songs that shouldn't have worked (given the silly nature of the show) but that scored high marks. It is, indeed, most generous of Bourne and Moy-Borgen to share their spotlight with these artists, both of whom would be most welcome on the solo show calendar of this cabaret season.

The other highlight of the performance was Musical Director Richard Lowenburg's medley, performed by Cheo and Lena, which can only be described as epic. Taking the audience through the songs of the movies from 1920 to 2020, the medley gave Moy-Borgen and Bourne an opportunity to showcase all their skills as vocalists, as comics, as prop comics, and as actors. The onstage trio outdid themselves and the audience was completely there for it; the lengthy but attention-worthy number was delicious silliness that left the audience simultaneously breathless and howling with laughter

OFFICE PARTY is a confection, a bit of fluff, a bit of nonsense, but those descriptives should not lessen, in anyone's mind or estimation, the weight of the actors' talents or mission. Laughter is important. Fun has merit. And a good old office party with cheap plastic prizes and a Twister table cloth over the piano are just what people want and need these days. Thank goodness the party is back. Everyone grab a party hat, get it on your head, and settle in for the Bourne and Moy-Borgen ride.

The LET'S GO TO THE MOVIES iteration of Office Party returns to Don't Tell Mama TONIGHT, June 2nd, at 7 pm. For information and tickets visit the Don't Tell Mama website HERE.

Visit the OFFICE PARTY Facebook page HERE.

THIS is the Lena Moy-Borgen website and HERE is the Cheo Bourne website.

Photos by Stephen Mosher

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