Triple Espresso (The SOB Review)
Triple Espresso (The SOB Review) - Music Box Theatre, Minneapo-lis, MN
1/2*
Want to see a good show?
Then you'll want to avoid Triple Espresso the way I do Starbucks.
More a musical revue than a musical, Triple Espresso has inexplicably been a staple of Minneapolis theatre since the spring of 1997. When I learned the show had set a closing date, I figured I'd try to see what kept the show percolating for so long.
While the show dubs itself "A highly caffeinated comedy," I could have used a little of that high octane stuff to get me through the warmed-over schlock that tasted simultaneously like it's been on the burner way too long without ever having been fully brewed to begin with.
Triple Espresso is about an eponymous comedy trio who reunite after 25 years apart. The closest to "real" fame the three -- Hugh Butternut (Michael Pearce Donley), Bobby Bean (Brian Kelly) and Buzz Maxwell (George Tovar), get it?! -- ever came was in a botched appearance on the 70s "Mike Douglas" talk show.
With lame attempts to involve the audience followed by largely unfunny schtick borrowed unceasingly from all things the 70s, the only thing I was left wondering is how this show could have been so underdeveloped and yet last so long.
Unfortunately, Triple Espresso is bad to the last drop.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Click here for tickets.
Labels: Minneapolis/St. Paul, Musical, Revue, The SOB Review, Triple Espresso
posted by Steve On Broadway (SOB) @ Saturday, January 19, 2008
3 Comments:
I could not agree more Steve. I saw this show last night and I'm still angry that I spent good money and my time in seeing it. I spent about 2 hours with my face looking like I tasted something awful yet couldn't spit it out. I will be happy to see what gets that theatre in its place.
We just returned from seeing this show in Minneapolis and it was one of the stupidest shows I've ever seen. I've got a pretty good sense of humor and enjoy a good comedy show, stand up, etc. I got at the most two very small chuckles out of this two hour show. My family and I would have left during the intermission if it hadn't been for forking over $45 per person for tickets. We figured the second half would have to be better than the first; but it wasn't. I actually noticed that some of the people we were sitting next to left at the intermission. How could this show run for so many years? DON'T WASTE YOUR MONEY ON THIS SHOW!
I too, went to see the show with the best of intentions; I wanted to be entertained. I went because for all the years it has run here in Minneapolis, I had not yet seen it.
The show began; the audience is laughing; I don't know why. I actually started watching the audience more than the stage, just to try to understand why they were laughing. The show depends on involving audience members. Maybe that's it; more and more, people enjoy watching others made fools of in public and on television. One of the performers evidently noticed me 'not' laughing, and he zeroed in on me to bring on stage for one of their bits. The bit 'must' have been funny, people were laughing... I played the dutiful stooge and went along, returned to my seat even 'more' puzzled. How could that version of 'Home On The Range' have been 'funny'? Myself, I don't think the audience should have to work as hard as the performers. To me, it's such an obvious and cheap shot to call out audience members to get laughs at their expense. I wasn't 'embarrassed' by it..... I just thought it was such a lame piece of shtick. I lasted to the end of the first act, and apologized to the friend I had invited along....... I simply couldn't take any more.... I 'had' to leave. I really felt like I could not, mentally or physically, take another 60 minutes of this. But then there was yet 'another' attempt by the three performers to wring a laugh out of someone.... 'anyone'.... during intermission. There they were in the lobby, playing backwoods homemade instruments for our listening pleasure. We were the only two I noticed who walked out at intermission, so the rest of the audience 'must' have thought it was funny.... mustn't they??? I honestly just didn't 'get' it.
Post a Comment
<< Home