Dec. 08, 2014
Alexander Nedd
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Rating: 5/5 stars
When Murphy’s Law goes into effect it usually spells havoc. Such was the case for the latest Theatreworks production. The play opened Dec. 4 and had audience members watch a situation go from bad to worse and love every moment of it.
Members of the audience were in a constant state of laughter during “The Lying Kind.”
The 2002 British play written by Anthony Neilson follows the tale of two constables Blunt (Stephen Cole Hughes) and Gobbel (Sammie Joe Kinnett) and the sobering task of informing a family that a loved one has passed away on the eve of Christmas.
The simple yet haunting task of ringing the doorbell proves too much for these men. After minutes arguing, they are met by the play’s most memorable character Gronya (Emma Messenger), a tough pedophile hunter hell-bent on serving justice and taking the law into her own hands.
She demands to know what these cops are doing. They reluctantly give information after receiving a taste of her tactics. She leaves the cops to their duty of telling parents Garson (Billie McBride) and Balthazar (John Windsor- Cunningham) that their daughter has passed away.
As the men are trying to break the news, the family mistakenly believes that their dog has died instead. The misunderstanding leads to a series of events that seem so astronomically impossible that it works.
The cops find themselves in lie after lie, burying the truth in hilarious scenarios that exemplify the horrible luck these cops have to face.
The overall comedic timing of the play was priceless.
The play’s creativity stands out with its use of every detail both in the script and on stage. Seemingly meaningless points are brought back when the audience least expects it, from incredibly well timed dialogue to actual events that drive the storyline into yet another hysterically unexpected plot twist.
The cast brought this play to life in ways that made it delightful to watch.
Hughes and Kinnet are part of the play’s best scene as they strip tease for the audience. Jaws dropped and the audience erupted in laughter.
Autumn Silva, freshman theater major and sign language minor, played Carol and is the cast’s only UCCS member.
James Pierson and his wife Andrea are frequent visitors to Theatreworks and James enjoyed the night’s affairs on stage.
“It was an excellently written play performed by an outstanding cast,” Pierson said. “I haven’t laughed that hard in while, it’s nice to go out every once in a while and see what the theater community has been working on.”
“I would definitely encourage others to come out and see this,” said Viola Richardson, a mom of a UCCS student. “The cast was so amazing; you could just feel their energy on stage. I was really impressed.”
“The Lying Kind” runs from Dec. 4 through Dec. 21 with showings Wednesday through Friday at 7:30 p.m., Saturday matinees at 2 p.m. and Sunday matinees at 4 p.m.
The play is free to all UCCS students. Tickets must be purchased or reserved before attending. Visit theatreworkscs.org to reserve tickets online.
The Lowdown
What: “The Lying Kind”
Where: Dusty Loo Bon Vivant Theater 3955 Regent Circle
When: Dec. 4 – 21 Wed – Sat 7:30 p.m. Dec. 13 and 20 2 p.m. Sundays 4 p.m.
How much: Free to students Reserved: $35-$55 Children under 18: $15 Groups 10+: $25
Contains strong language