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Author
Bill Arnold
Author
Michael
Pearce Donley
Author
Bob Stromberg
Producer
Lane Productions
Producer
River Productions
(in association with Triple Espresso)
Director
William Partlan
Design
Nayna Ramey
Costume
Kathleen Egan
Lighting
Michael Klaers
Performers
Michael Pearce Donley
Bill Arnold
Bob Stromberg
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The
Arts Theatre
14
January - 5 April 2003 |
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Hugh, Bobby and
Buzz have met up at their old friend
Mokoko's coffee bar, Triple Espresso.
It's twenty five years since they last
performed together as Butternut, Bean
and Maxwell but it's also twenty-five
years since they last spoke to one another.
The unfortunate trio met haphazardly
on Blind Date and their lives were never
to be the same again. Through a number
of mishaps they ended up touring together
as all-singing, all-dancing, all-gone-wrong
entertainers, travelling from Arizona
'Dust Bowl' Rodeo to 'Kable Zaire' (which
on reaching Kinshasa they found didn't
actually exist). This far from meteoric
rise, climaxed on a talent show televised
from the Royal Albert Hall, an event
they'd all rather forget.
During
their reunion old feuds come to light
and in explanation of their dislike
for one another we are given an account
of their disastrous careers in the entertainment
business. Eventually, through reliving
their experiences together, they face
up to their failures, although as a
final therapy they must relive that
tortuous night at the talent show.
The play
is a satirical look at the lives of
the three writers and performers, Pearce
Donley, Stromberg and Arnold. Each brings
a speciality to the trio, in the form
of mime, song and magic; though it is
Pearce Donley who rises above the rest
with excellently inventive and spontaneous
piano playing. He not only gives superb,
blind-fold performances with precision
and clarity, but also manages to incorporate
this into the play. The self-infatuated
nature of the piece only adds to the
success of the comedy which inspects
the human condition making light of
those regrets that should be learned
from rather than dwelt upon.
The Triple
Espresso Company succeeds in creating
an inoffensive, sweet and at times extremely
diverting comedy. There is something
for everyone here, however if audience
participation isn't your thing then
you should either sit at the back or
stay well clear.
Elizabeth Shenton |
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