Go 2 "Go.Go. 5"!!

Alright, so I know this review is a little late, but I couldn't resist documenting my thoughts and feelings about Elemental Theatre Collective's Go.Go. 5.

If you're not going to read this whole review, here's the summary: Don't miss this show. 

Featuring four sharply written plays by four vastly talented playwrights, the night will give you way more than your $15 worth (and it's even cheaper for students).

Starting with Wake by Jill Blevins, the night immediately starts with talented actors and a compelling and hilarious storyline. We meet a family of three, a mother, son and daughter, who survive their recently deceased father. All three characters are embodied well by actors Rae Mancini, as the grieving mother (always with drink in hand), Kevin Broccoli as her son, and Erin Olson, as his sister. Though this play will make you laugh and, at times, make you cringe, it'll ultimately surprise you in the end, as the answer to the question: "Why was I left out of the will?" is answered.

Next is The Pickle Shop by Rob Grace. Casey Seymour-Kim plays "The Crazy Pickle Lady" perfectly, speaking in broken English as she recounts a brief life story. Again, this play has a bait-and-switch type feel, where you're set up to laugh until you cry, then find yourself crying for other reasons. The pairing of Grace's writing with Seymour-Kim's whole-body commitment to the role is perfection, and I felt like I was just listening to a real woman's story, not to a monologue. Jed Hancock-Brainerd plays Seymour-Kim's husband, and adds to the realism of this show. I was fully captivated and moved by both of their performances, and by the message of this play.

Before intermission we're left with a charming and funny play entitled Baby Talk, by George Brant. In this play, a husband and wife team played by Dave Rabinow and D'Arcy Dersham, marvel at their perfect baby, until a visit from a woman from the "New Mothers' Association" stirs things up a bit. Rabinow and Dersham do a lovely job playing a "loser" couple, and elicit lots of laughs from the audience, but the golden moment of this play happens when Chris Rosenquest and Rebecca Noon (also playing husband and wife) join them on stage. I'll try not to give anything away, but let's just say that fake, prop-babies can lend themselves to comedy gold.

After intermission is the longest of the four plays, a musical by Dave Rabinow entitled A Brief History of the Earth and Everything In It (As performed by Ms. LoPiccolo's Third-Grade Drama Group from the William Jennings Bryan Elementary School in Springfield, Missouri). This musical is masterfully written, filled not only with some of the smartest humor I've heard in a while, but also some catchy lyrics! The cast is made up by Ms. LoPiccolo (D'Arcy Dersham), the school's Principal (Rae Mancini) and the Third Grade Drama Group, which includes Rebecca Noon, Casey Seymour-Kim, Kelly Seigh, Amanda Ruggeiro, and Chris Rosenquest. There's also a special cameo by Bryce Johnson, but to tell you more would simply spoil the show.

This musical follows the classic "show within a show" format, but is filled with edgy, politically charged humor. Though the music is simple, the cast is able to show off their collective array of strong voices. Each member of the "drama group" is perfectly cast as their stereotype, whether it be the popular girl, the little English boy, or the aloof girl who was home-schooled until this year. I really marveled at this show, thinking the whole time that it should be running off-Broadway already. With this cast. 

And of course, I applaud director Alexander Pratt, who tackled four very different pieces and made them all wonderful in their own way. I also want to mention the set design, which was clever and malleable, and worked so well with the plays: it created just enough ambiance to set the scene, but didn't distract from the actors' outstanding performances.

Ok, so I know there is only one weekend left to see this, but that still gives you FOUR chances! Do not miss this show in its final weekend, February 10-13, Thursday through Saturday at 7:30pm, Sunday at 2pm at Perishable Theater, 95 Empire Street, Providence. More info at www.elementaltheatre.org.