Original Score/Arrangement of Text: Anthony Roberts
Ground Up Theatre at The Hungry Brain, 2319 W. Belmont Ave.
Phone: ( 773 ) 944-0959; Free, but must be 21 or older
Through: Feb. 25
I'm truly sorry that I missed Ground Up Theatre's previous two parts of Letters/X. This 45-minute Valentine's Day-timed revue of songs and sketches based upon actual love and break-up letters is loads of fun. It also has an unbeatable price of FREE.
Arrive early to get a good seat so you won't be left standing at the back of the bar. That way you won't have an obstructed view of Ground Up's dandy performers.
The cleverness starts at the title, where the 'X' could either stand for a kiss below your signature, an abbreviation meaning your 'ex-partner' or the occasional 'X-rated' content of the show's material. For this edition, composer/arranger Anthony Roberts has culled together plenty of love/hate doozies.
We have the Internet and mobile phone technology to thank for some of the biggest and brashest ones, particularly a gay Punch and Judy Computer Instant Messaging bit. Elizabeth Lesinski is a riot as she manipulates one puppet who rants on and on about being talked about behind his back.
Another huge laugh is the entire ensemble's white-bread attempt at turning a text message into a choreographed hip-hop video.
Letters/X also reminds us at how funny it is for the different words that people type in ALL CAPS for emphasis in e-mails and text messages.
Every ensemble member dressed in eveningwear has a chance to shine in director Danni Quider's snappy minimal staging. Anthony Roberts' goofy folk song guitar interludes are fun while Hannah Gansen's self-conscious attempts at being sexually alluring are always amusing.
Todd Wojcik's is sly as the other leading man ( particularly as an ex who can't let go ) , while Liz Quesnelle and Jessica Childs make the most of their respective stereotypes as the empty-headed Valley Girl and the butch and blunt lesbian ( complete with tired Indigo Girls references ) .
If there are any quibbles with Letters/X, the brief show could be expanded in running time. The cast could also shake a bit of their self-awareness that they are being funny.
Otherwise, Letters/X ( which I repeat, is FREE ) hits the comedy spot for the Valentine's season. Laugh all you want, but pay heed to the company's request for your contributions of love/hate letters to make future shows.
Who knows if your efforts at pouring out your heart ( or wanting to rip up another person's heart ) will end up onstage and depicted by puppets next year?