This past weekend I took in the latest offering from St. Albert Dinner Theatre, Sex Please, We're Sixty! It was a laugh-filled evening, with a terrific dinner and great company at my table! Like any great farce, there are several doors and for much of the second act, you are never quite sure what will be coming out of what door! It's also chock full of big characters whose convergence leads to the requisite mix-ups and misfortunes.
Set in a floral themed Bed and Breakfast, permanent resident Bud "the Stud" (Rob Beeston with the most absurd hairline and a ridiculous pelvis popping) is awaiting the return of a former guest with whom he had a liaison. The only problem is he can't remember who they are. Enter three possible candidates and off we go. There's also a very rigid and time obsessed B&B owner, Mrs Stancliffe (played by Myrna Ferris who has a delightful transformation in the finale of the show) and her fumbling but earnest suitor, Henry Mitchell (the charming and befuddled Dave McKay) who has been courting her for over a decade with no progression. He's a scientist who has developed a little blue pill for menopausal women to stimulate their libido called Venusia. When these get mixed up with Bud's Viagra, the hijinks abound!
As mentioned, the show is full of larger than life characters. There's a nerdy scientist Hillary Hudson (Ursula Pattloch, with broken glasses and appropriate t-shirts) there to help Henry with the testing of of his magic medication; a romance writer Victoria Ambrose (Joanne Poplett), looking for a new and innovative way to end her latest novel; and Charmaine Beauregard, a southern vamp hoping to get some action with Bud (Christine Gold, who is an absolute hoot!) The folks at my table remarked of Gold, "She has the best lines!" and indeed, in the second act, every time she came onstage I was waiting to see what she would say next. I have been quoting some of them around my house all week. I don't want to give them away, so you will have to see for yourself!
Like all good farces, the first act gets everyone in place and you can anticipate over intermission how they will all collide, and then the second act pays off with even more ridiculousness than you expect. The cast worked well together with everyone putting in 110% regardless of what silly thing the script asked of them. The laughs came hard and fast leading to a very enjoyable evening!
Sex Please, We're Sixty runs to February 14th with shows on Thursday through Saturday at the St. Albert Dinner Theatre. Tickets are $70 and include a fantastic buffet supper. There's also a discount for groups of 10+. You can purchase your tickets here.
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