Review: ACT's MR. BURNS - Funny but Doesn't Payoff Completely

Anne Washburn's hit play "Mr. Burns, a post-electric play", currently playing at ACT, does a fine job at exploring the genesis of mythology and still keeps itself very funny. But that exploration tends to draw itself out a little too long with too little payoff for the time spent.

Washburn's play, which can boast being the most produced American play of the 2014-2015 season, creates the seed of mythology out of one of pop culture's most enduring icons, TV's "The Simpsons". With its longevity it's easy to speculate that it would live long past us and even civilization. And that's just what has happened as we join six weary travellers just trying to survive around a campfire sometime after an apocalypse has befallen the world. There is no electricity and good portions of the remaining people are willing to do anything to survive including kill. So in a post apocalyptic world what do you talk about? "The Simpsons". Specifically the "Cape Feare" episode of "The Simpsons" in which Sideshow Bob is out to kill Bart. But the recounting of this tale over the years/decades evolves past reminiscence into a way to survive and far beyond.

I'll admit to a healthy love of "The Simpsons" and the "Cape Feare" episode is one of my favorites. Hell, one of the catch phrases my friends and I would constantly repeat in our youth was the punch line "I think he's talking to you" from that episode. So the show lends tons of humorous nostalgia for me. And as funny as it is to look back on that episode the play also manages a stark look at the reality of where mythology and legend comes from as the story gradually begins to intertwine with their own survivor's tale. So yes, it's enjoyable but for the amount of setup we get in Acts One and Two the payoff in Act Three doesn't quite live up. Sure it has its moments but it also amounts to one long punch line repeated over and over.

Visually the show is a stunner with some beautifully insane sets and costumes from Matthew Smucker and Deb Trout. And director John Langs keeps the story clipping along and the tension and the stakes high. And he's assembled a killer ensemble. The always-amazing Anne Allgood turns in some lovely moments as both a weary survivor and a nagging Marge Simpson. Erik Gratton gives us a fine Homer Simpson as well as a hilarious take on a survivor desperately trying to relay the story. Adam Standley is superb as a newcomer to the group but truly shines in the final act and his performance makes the length of the punch line bearable. As does the hilarious yet subtle Bhama Roget who joins our troupe in Act Two and makes for a great Bart. Claudine Mboligikpelani Nako goes from frightened mouse to confident leader to actual mouse gorgeously. Andrew Lee Creech makes for an excellent cat to counterpoint Nako's mouse. Christine Marie Brown gives a stunning performance as a woman just trying to hold things together and her final moments in Act Two are heartbreaking. And I must mention Robertson Witmer who beautifully supplied the hilarious on stage music in Act Three's extravaganza.

So yes, the show has a lot going for it. It's funny, intriguing and manages an interesting message about where fables come from. But it could use some trimming as that message was delivered, and delivered, and delivered. And so with my three letter rating system I give "Mr. Burns" an amused MEH+. I enjoyed it but I would have preferred a better payoff.

"Mr. Burns, a post-electric play" performs at ACT through November 15th. For tickets or information contact the ACT box office at 206-292-7676 or visit them online at www.acttheatre.org.

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