Exuberant is probably the best way to describe the actors’ performances in the play Life Skills (Advanced), subtitled An Instructional Comedy, written by the Coast’s David King. Who wouldn’t feel exuberant in this very funny play?
It’s been performed before – in fact, it won a Jessie Award. When it was first produced by Touchstone Theatre in 1986, it was performed by Nicola Cavendish and playwright King. King also performed many of the roles. The current play runs along the same format as in previous productions, but King says that the material keeps changing. He likes to refresh it and update it.
It was a challenging play when there were only two actors involved. In this version there are nine actors who play 11 roles. And they are some of the Coast’s best, directed by Dave Hurtubise (Little Shop of Horrors). Along with King, it features Kevin Crofton, Frank Crudele, Pat Dorval, Janet Hodgkinson, Susan Rule, Wanda Nowicki, Colleen Elson and Marcia Forst.
Will you learn life skills at this production? Maybe. Here’s a sampling taken from the 11 vignettes: What to do when the person you love won’t give up their cell phone addiction? We can all learn from that. And what about when you meet someone at the mall whom you haven’t seen in a long time? There’s that awkward moment – what do they think of you? Should you offer to get together again?
Some of the funniest of the scenes use salty language and adult situations; this production is not for kids. For example, watch the couple sitting on the bus. She wants to make the night special with his favourite foods and a lusty coupling. He wants to sit on the bus. Breaking up is hard to do, as evidenced by the man who tries to leave his partner by dragging his suitcase noisily to the door. She’s not bothered by his anguish.
You’ll enjoy the hilarious encounter with the society lady who hasn’t a thing to wear and the unsuspecting Jehovah’s Witness who comes to her door. She needs advice on which shoes to wear. Is he saving souls or choosing soles?
There are more, but you get the idea. A video backdrop will tie the scenes together.
Also the director has enlisted the talents of 11 Sunshine Coast visual artists to depict the setting for each vignette: Heather Gatz, Marleen Vermuelen, Mark Kowalk, Karen Webb, Tia Rosypskye, Coralie Swaney, Mieke Bray, Brad Toth, Fran Miller, Jane Hennesey and Colleen Friesen.
Life Skills opens March 9 at 7:30 p.m. at the Heritage Playhouse, Gibsons, presented by the Heritage Playhouse and Underpants Productions. It runs over three weeks with two Sunday matinées on March 12 and 19 at 2 p.m. It continues on March 10 and 11 then on 16, 17 and 18, and again on March 23, 24 and 25. Tickets are $20 at Laedeli Gifts in Gibsons, Sechelt Visitor Centre and share-there.com
