Cautionary Tales For Adults – The Many Adventures Of Trixie Tickles
Produced By: Bouncing Ball Productions
Our Award: 5 Fringes
By: Ronnie Ruff
Well, the Ronnie and Joel show rolled into the Source Theatre Monday evening to see one of the most anticipated shows of the festival. Cautionary Tales for Adults – the Many Adventures of TrixieTickles is in the opinion of this reviewer exactly what it will take for Musical Theatre to appeal to the current crop of 20 – 30 year olds that do not often attend theatre.
This musical 2 pack consists of Cautionary Tales For Adults, a dark series of humorous mini tales almost all ending in accidental death and while they were really funny they do not prepare you for the uncontrolled laughter you will find yourself in with The Many Adventures Of TrixieTickles. It is Trixie’s first day at school and she has quite a day, some of it she has to repress.
Casie Platt is the aforementioned Trixie Tickles and a bigger bundle of hilarious, screeching energy is not to be had in this town. Alessandra Migliaccio, Stephanie Hammel, Michael Grew and the multi-talented Cesar A. Guadamuz (who is quickly becoming one of my favorite local actors) make up the rest of the talented cast that danced and sang their way through this fun show.
A four piece band made up of acoustic bass, 12 string guitar, drums and harmonium were superb, never overpowering the fine vocal performances of the actors. With melodies that remind of Steven Merritt (Magnetic Fields) and lyrics reminiscent of Ween or cuddle-core band Cub this is one super smart, funny piece of theatre. When Trixie’s Mom sings the following parental advice I could not help but laugh so hard I cried, “WHAT DO YOU DO? WHEN YOU POO? YOU LOSE A PART OF YOU.YOU LOSE A PART OF YOU WHEN YOU POO.”
I heard people mentioning Avenue Q comparisons as I walked out. Now, I saw Avenue Q on Broadway and this show is quite different, the sarcasm more biting and I actually think it is funnier. Now keep in mind this show is not as structured as the said Tony winner, far less produced and in fact that’s why it is so fresh and enjoyable. Just in case you are feeling a bit sad that the show seems over way too soon the cast leaves us with this:
WATCH UPCOMING EPISODES
SEE ME HIT BY A CAR: GO PLAY IN ROAD
WATCH ME FIND A BOX FILLED WITH LIVE GRENADES
THEN I’LL MASTER THE BLADE: ME NOT AFRAID
WE’LL GET TO MAKE OUR OWN FLYING CAPES
CLOSE OUR EYES AND JUMP OFF A ROOF: TRY THIS AT HOME
SO MANY THINGS THAT WE’LL GET TO DO THINGS MOM WON’T LET YOU DO, SHE WON’T SEE YOU
TUNE IN EACH AND EVERY DAY OR I’LL DIE AND GO AWAY
I think I could tune in each day; you should tune in and see this show before it closes.
