Bachelors and brides battle it out in two one-act comedies Monday Magazine, p. 14, June is said to be the wedding month, and if you're heading down the aisle this summer (whether in a white gown, an embarrassing bridesmaid's outfit or a dapper tux), you're going to need some comic relief. Come to think of it, if you've ever been in a wedding party, hope never to be in one, or are just a devoted viewer of Bridezilla, you'll probably jump at the chance to make light of the whole wedding thang. |
Fortunately, local director Britt Small and her Atomic Vaudeville cohorts have just the thing to soothe your pre- (or post-) nuptial jitters. Bachelors and Brides is the name of an evening of two one-act plays presented back-to-back, both of which poke fun at the craziness of the mating and dating games. In the first play, Last One to the Altar, a series of wedding-related vignettes tell the story of a group of characters in the process of thinking about weddings, planning weddings, and eventually getting married. Written by Atomic Vaudeville alumnae Gina McIntosh and Carolyn Birch, it's a send-up of all the material and immaterial craziness that weddings seem to bring. "They start as little girls, dreaming about what it would be like to be a bride," says Small. From there, it's full-on wedding fever-which promises to be cathartic for anyone who's ever bit their tongue while a friend or loved one came down with a tremendously bad case of weddinghead. Jazzed up with three original songs and a fast-paced | production, it promises to be the perfect antidote to all those Martha Stewart Bride sessions you've been forced to endure. And for the guys in the crowd (or for the stagette parties, come to think of it), the second half of the evening, called Cocktales, is all about guys, dating, and trying to, er, come to terms with being guys. Atomic Vaudeville regulars Mike Delamonte and Rod Peter Jr. play a variety of roles as a variety of guys who explore what would happen if there were a Vagina Monologues equivalent for men. "They go through a series of dating advice, on how to woo a lady," says Small. "It's poking fun at the male-as-animal myth." So, it all sounds like lighthearted fun. But what if you've never been married, or are still hoping to meet someone to get married to? Easy, says Small. One of the performance nights (to be announced; call for details) will be preceded by a speed-dating event, so you can potentially find a partner before the show even starts. How's that for a wedding service, eh? |