After a summer away from their usual home, Theater Undreground returns to Richmond with another edgy autumn offering. Anyone who thought that Shel Silverstein was merely an author of funny songs and children’s rhymes are about to get a rude awakening. While TUG decided to eschew the original play’s nudity, there’s still plenty to excite and offend in this show, a series of shorts dealing with love, sex, and the human condition in general. Many of the playlets may make you laugh, some may make you cringe, but all will make you think. And all are, as the title warns, designed for adults (sorry, no Garbage Song or Boy Named Sue here). The language is strong and, despite the lack of actual nudity, there’s quite a bit of skin in some portions. Seriously, leave your kids under 17 at home.
The show is ably directed and acted by a crew of newcomers and Theater Undreground regulars, including David & Christian Baker, Katelin Stack, and Kelly Waterman, and includes more original music by the always entertaining Ian Hall. The acting is up to TUG’s usual standards, which is to say that it veers from quite good to excellent. The playlets vary somewhat in quality, though all had their amusing moments. My favorites included “The Best Daddy” (about a father giving his daughter a birthday gift), “Wash and Dry” (about trying to reclaim one’s laundry from a unique laundromat), and “Thinking Up a New Name for the Act” (a limited vocabulary domestic drama).
The show runs one more weekend — November 11 & 12, at 8pm in Richmond, IL. Catch it while you can. Tickets should be available at the door. Check the Theater Undreground site for more information.
