HARD TIMES!
Skinny Leg Productions · Montreal, Canada | Paris, France
by Lisa Pasold, Bremner Duthie
Musical
Hard Times! Swinging to hot jazz songs, an intimate depression era tale of vaudeville madness, poignant wisecracks, chasing rainbows and the absurd determination to be lighthearted in times of troubles. “Duthie is the real thing, an intense and expert singer of the 1930″s repertoire” Edmonton Journal. “Incredibly Impressive” Vue Magazine
Tickets are 2 for 1 on opening night.
Deal is only available at the venue, not for advance tickets.
The actor is certainly talented enough, both acting and singing-wise, but I personally didn’t connect with the story about a vaudeville performer being pushed out by the movies. This show might appeal to people who enjoy more serious fare with the occasional laugh, but I wouldn’t recommend it to people who prefer lighter and easier entertainment.
Ok, first off, this is not a lighthearted play. I thought it might be, from the write-up (which would have been playing against Bremner’s usual forte), but I was wrong. There are lots of laughs, but they’re all the black kind. It’s the Depression, a venerable vaudeville theatre and performer are being closed down, and the only chance the theatre has of survival is to run movies. This doesn’t leave much room for our performer, and he’s bitter. So, he puts on his last performance, trying to jam in all the best stuff from the past. The songs are good, (although I felt that one was as repetitious as any Top 40 song today – guess things haven’t changed that much), and Bremner’s voice is dependable and evocative. HIs burrowing through his possessions for the perfect suicide weapon, and attempts to carry through on same, are hilarious.
We enjoyed it, and suspect most others would, too.