Sleigh
Sleigh Created, Written and Directed by PB&J Theatre Factory
Garden Theatre, Winter Garden, FL</strong>
If only they could do this in Black and White! It’s 25 frame a second comedy as the PB&J crew mixes mime and slapstick in this visit to mystical Sugar Falls. The snow is on the trees, shoppers are out seeking bells and whistles, and the postal service is down to that one last nagging delivery. Pathos and mincemeat pie-in-the-face humor fill the stage as “Sleigh” carefully avoids the overcooked turkey of that” English Play.”
In this gentle G- rated comedy, several skits stand out. Rubber jointed Brandon Roberts plays the skinny unloved Christmas tree, and while his wobbly and unidentifiable co-tree gets purchased, he’s by far the funniest foam rubber actor on stage. Mike Gill is the tragic one, he freezes on the street busking for a crowd more interested in Ma’s (Becky Eck) and Pa’s (Jason Horne) commercial wares. Mark Koenig and his new wife Meggin Weaver look like they’re sharing their first holiday, and he overachieves decorating the gingerbread house. The best scene of the night arrives when they slap a “For Sale” sign on the gingerbread house, and a family of cookies comes to look at it. Another enjoyable moment comes with the postal crew lost in the woods on a stormy night. Roberts, Feren, and Colin Peterson are freezing to death and trying to rescue that precious Christmas card from a large bird up in a tree, but it takes the GPS and parking skills of United Parcel Service to save the holiday. The good news – Ma and Pa reconcile, the freezing guitarist collects some cheer, and the gingerbread house becomes a happy home for some damaged cookie-folk.
With a simple sound track, a few sound effects and no real dialog, it’s amazing how much story and emotion the PB&J cast broadcasts. The simple act of not having a “ka-CHING” when Gill drops a quarter in his guitar case speaks volumes, and the audience physically responds with heartfelt “aww…” more than once when disappointment affected someone on stage. But everything had a happy ending, and the numerous small audience members up past bedtime were transfixed. At the end, one little girls said “Mommy, I’m done” and promptly fell asleep. It should be a nice ride home for someone.
For more information on The Garden Theatre, please visit http://www.myspace.com/gardentheatre or http://wgtheater.org
