BWW Reviews: A DELICIOUS Christmas

What can a group of talented writers and performers do with a Christmas theme? Surprisingly more than a spoof on good ol' Charlie Brown or a reenactment of The Nativity - no one can be quite sure what will take place at an original performance.

When Impresario Tony Trout took the stage clad in an apron, a nod to the name of his company Are We Delicious?, his delightful introduction could lead audiences to wonder. Would they be delicious?

Any good recipe takes a number of ingredients. It cannot be too sweet, too savory, or too sour. A tasty treat has to be the ideal combination of all three.

Deliciousness is determined by the chef's ability to mold different flavors to complement one another.

Eight five minute plays were written, rehearsed, and performed in one week's time. Each playwright performed and each play was incredibly unique. Though some, like Jess Schuknecht's "The Carol of the Hells" or Matt Sloan's "Ugly Baby Jesus" had audiences chuckling constantly, others like John Steeno's "The Unexpected Grandma" or Kelly Maxwell's "A Time of Year" got audiences pondering the sentiments of the holidays.

It was the dichotomy - the abstract differences - between each different play that made the series so unique. Though Molly Vanderlin's "Top of the Stairs" was silly and cute, it reminded the audience once more of the childlike wonders of Christmas. Vanderlin brought everyone back to a time when sugar plums did dance in our heads instead of the fear of crippling debt or the anxieties that the holidays bring once that childhood sparkle passes.

The juggling of the mere eight props provided by the actors for the use of the show added an extra touch of imagination. Who knew Mrs. Claus (AKA Debbie) enjoyed sporting a patterned jacket circa 1985? Or that Satan's horns could be derived from a red game controller?

What's actually quite remarkable about this ensemble of performers is that they work in genuine tandem. No one show outshined the others. No one performer upstaged their counterparts. This troupe is of one likeness, because they work so well together it makes their show so much stronger - because a play cannot be perfected in a week's time. Each show was given its time in the spotlight, a right which every five minute jaunt wholeheartedly deserved.

With so many concepts, the audience was reminded about how multi-faceted the holiday season actually is.

One would like to believe that everything is holly and ivy, but we forget about the difficulties; the times when Old King Worchester replaces Good King Wenceslas and only one person has the heart to say so.

By adding a dash of celebrity meltdown (Catherine Capellaro's "Let Me Be"), two spoon fulls of competitive mall Santas (Amber McReynolds' "The Worst Idea Ever", a stack of probable veterinary malpractice lawsuits (Meghan Rose's "The Curious Captor", and a whole lot of holiday jokes, you get something beyond delicious.

You receive a delicacy.

Are We Delicious only performs twice every few months. They are a theatrical treat that is not to be missed.

So, on February 27th at 7:30 or 9:30 at The Brink Lounge, "put some money in my money shoe" and enjoy the show.

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