| |
Greater Tuna (2007) >
Village Life|Amador Ledger Dispatch
What do Arles Struvie, Thurston Wheelis, Aunt Pearl, Petey Fisk, Phineas Blye and Rev. Spikes have in common? They are among the upstanding citizens of Tuna Texas' third smallest town in this hilarious send up of small town mores, and they are all played by two actors! In this Off Broadway hit two actors create the entire population of Tuna in a tour de farce of quick change artistry, both of costumes and of comic characterizations. There are twenty wild characters in this show and you may wish to use up to that many actors, but that isn't nearly as much fun. "Howlingly funny." Variety. "The audience ... all but exploded the theatre with laughter." N.Y. Post.
Return to Reviews.
Return to Past Seasons.
Village Life
Greater Tuna comes to Greater Sutter Creek
By David Jacobson, Village Life
(2.22.07) Even if you’ve seen the play before, don’t hesitate to catch the hilarious revival of "Greater Tuna," by Main Street Theatre Works and now on stage in Sutter Creek. This send-up of the worst of rural America, and Texas in particular, features Shawn O’Neal and Eric Baldwin in a big-guy-little-guy comedy team rivaling Laurel and Hardy or Abbott and Costello. What’s more, each of them appears in ten different roles apiece, rapidly changing costume, sex and mental disability, and with breathtaking speed, thanks to Julie Anchor’s spot-on direction.
Inspired by a political cartoon, Jaston Williams, Joe Sears and Ed Howard developed the play from a party skit to a 90-minute stage production that has wowed audiences for 25 years. And despite its distinct liberal slant, characterizing country folk as products of ignorance and inbreeding, it entertained Barbara and the first President Bush at the White House.
Set in Tuna, Texas, the state’s "third smallest town," it’s referred to as "Greater Tuna" by its local radio station, OKKK. The station offers the town’s cultural enlightenment, which features "The Weekly Art Minute," along with a winning high-school essay titled "Human Rights, Why Bother?" and updates from the Smut Snatcher Society, a collection of vigilant parents dedicated to removing all wicked words from the dictionary.
The station’s other guests range from the burly and ominous Elmer Watkins (O’Neal), circumventing evil on behalf of the KKK, to the harried little Petey Fisk (Baldwin), head of the Humane Society and forever overwhelmed by unwanted dogs. Other core characters in town include the Bumiller family, dominated by the overbearing yet soft-hearted Bertha. She’s played by O’Neal, who also portrays her alter ego, Pearl Burras, who protects her chickens by poisoning dogs.
Baldwin gives us the three Bumiller children: young Jody, collector of homeless dogs; Charlene, in obsessive depression over failure to become cheerleader; and psychopathic Stanley, sent to reform school by the recently deceased judge, whom he murdered and dressed in a swimsuit. On the positive side, Stanley gallantly helps out Pearl by running over her husband’s favorite hound after she accidentally poisons it.
The high point of the show is a funeral oration to end all hypocritical and vacuous funeral orations. Rev. Spikes (O’Neal) weaves together a masterpiece of clichés while the churchy Vera Carp (Baldwin) dozes in the background, her spread knees revealing her underpants. On the minus side, the social satire begins to show inevitable signs of dating, with comments downplaying the effects of Agent Orange. But references to the Ku Klux Klan are relevant, especially in light of a recent resurgence, triggered mainly by anxieties over illegal immigration.
Kudos go to Cathy McClelland, whose 30-plus wild costumes, Velcro enhanced, slip on and off rapidly to redefine characters. And Susan McCandless offers a spare yet effective set in keeping with the challenge of a small stage not designed for theater. Allen Pontes adds lighting and sound effects, including painful squeals from the old-fashioned radio that provides the unifying focus to the set.
Although a few show-only tickets are available, the meal-show combination includes an imaginative buffet based on a Texas barbecue. There are two meat choices, including a surprisingly tasty chicken apple sausage, along with black beans, salads, muffins, dessert and beverage. Friendly service provides an optional drop or so of Beano on the beans, no doubt an ancient Texas custom.
"Greater Tuna" runs through March 23 at Days Inn, on Highway 49 just north of central Sutter Creek. Performances are Fridays and Saturdays, with doors opening at 6:30 p.m. and show at 8 p.m. Two Sunday lunch matinees are scheduled for March 4 and 11, with doors open at 12:15 p.m. and lunch at 1:45. Tickets are $39 with dinner, $28 with lunch, tax and tip included. Show only prices are $17.50 adult and $15 student. Because Days Inn has no liquor license, alcoholic beverages will not be sold, but guests may bring their own wine and beer. Corkscrews and glasses are available.
The show is at near sellout, so early reservations are wise. Call (209) 267-5680, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., to buy tickets. Also see www.mstw.org.
E-mail jacobsondb@aol.com.
Back to top
Amador Ledger-Dispatch
MSTW Serves Up a Winner
By Brandi Ehlers, Amador Ledger-Dispatch
(2.21.07) Get ready for some good eats, belly laughs and an all around good time at Main Street Theatre Work's 2007 opening production of "Greater Tuna."
"Greater Tuna," by Jaston Williams, Joe Sears and Ed Howard, is about the lives of the residents of Tuna, Texas, the third smallest town in the state. Radio announcers Arles Struvie, played by Eric Baldwin, and Thurston Wheeler, played by Shawn O'Neal, narrate the tale that takes audience members into life in Tuna.
The two-man show, directed by Julie Anchor, has the actors playing 20 different characters with more than 30 costume changes. This hilarious comedy had the audience in stitches all night.
Both actors did an amazing job making smooth transitions between characters and creating very different personalities, voices, emotions and actions for every character.
The costumes, by Cathy McClelland with help from Connie Wright, were wonderful, creating a very different look for every character.
Some of my favorites had to have been all of the Bumiller children, Stanley just out of reform school, Charlene with her poem about Tuna and her strong desire to become a cheerleader and Jody with his pack of dogs always in tow, all played by Baldwin. He also did a great job as the head of the Greater Tuna Humane Society, Petey Fisk, who has a new cause every time you see him, ranging from save the ducks to snakes and catfish, and is the reason for Jody's pack of dogs.
I loved O'Neal as Bertha Bumiller, the mother of the Bumiller children. He did a great job looking, acting and talking like a woman and a mother. My favorite part was when O'Neal, as R.R. Snively a drunk, performed on his violin for the "Weekly Art Minute" on Tuna's radio station OKKK with Struvie and Wheeler. His performance was hysterical making the noise for his air violin and swaying with the music, if that is what you want to call it.
The food perfectly accompanied the performance with beef brisket, sausage, black beans, potato salad, coleslaw and corn bread. The barbecue sauce was flavorful and tangy, and a nice topper on all of the offerings. Watch out for the spicy mustard that is offered with the sausage, it will really kick you in the teeth if you are not careful. Dessert was a wonderful fruit cobbler with two types of toppings and whip cream.
"Greater Tuna" runs Fridays and Saturdays through March 23 with two Sunday lunch matinees on March 4 and 11.
The Playhouse at the Sutter Creek Days Inn is at 271 Hanford Street/Highway 49, Sutter Creek. Since there is no liquor license at the Days Inn, patrons are welcome to bring their own wine or beer and glasses and corkscrews will be provided. Reservations are highly recommended, as the space only seats 60.
Tickets are available at Lizzie Ann's/Bubblegum Books, 59 Main St., Sutter Creek, or by calling 267-5680 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Dinner theater tickets are $39 and includes meal, dessert, non-alcoholic beverage, tax, tip and the show. Lunch matinee tickets are $28. A limited number of show only tickets will also be available for $17.50 for adults and $15 for students.
For more information, visit www.mstw.org.
Back to top
|
|
