Cast of A Craigslist Cantata (L to R) Selina Martin, Bree Greig, Dmitry Chepovetsky & Daren A. Herbert
For anyone who has spent time perusing some of the odd, fascinating, and downright bizarre ads on Craigslist (or is that just me?), you will appreciate Acting Up Stage Company’s production of Do You Want What I Have Got? A Craigslist Cantata currently playing at Factory Theatre. First produced at Vancouver’s Push Festival, it went on to win the 2012 Jessie Award for Outstanding Original Score.
The ensemble cast is chock full of talent and delighted the audience with creative characterizations and solid vocals. Several cast members also showed their expertise on a variety of musical instruments–including, a saw. Monica Dottor’s choreography is tight and efficient. The script, written by Bill Richardson, is darkly hilarious and Veda Hille’s accompanying score is exceptional (as was her piano playing and singing on stage).
Amiel Gladstone direction is spot on and he makes sure the actors stay rooted in the quirkiness of the piece. The ensemble was solid with a few stand out numbers. Dmitry Chepovetsky is perfection in ‘Hi, My Lady’, about a man who has fallen under the spell of a woman he drives by in his van. Selina Martin’s smoky voice is a perfect complement to some of the more eccentric characters including a woman who is giving away her deceased cat, Snowball’s, hat collection. Darren A. Herbert is all sorts of charming, playing a multitude of characters (including Snowball the cat). Rounding out the cast is the sweet voiced Bree Greig and drummer Barry Mirochnick.
I do feel the performances became more fully realized as the show went on and at times it was difficult to hear what the cast was singing. I am not sure if the acoustics of the space are to blame but I was disappointed not to be able to hear every bit of it because the lyrics are so delicious.
This show is intoxicating, wildly creative, wonderfully witty and just downright fun. The show runs until March 3rd in the studio space.
For tickets and more info visit: Factory Theatre
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