Read this sentence slowly; I will stretch it out a little more. Do you feel ready? Am I rushing this intro? Okay…well then, last night Shadowbox Live opened its newest sketch comedy show Foreplay. Presented by The Lion’s Den, this production features a mix of sketches, songs, dances, and videos centering on the idea of foreplay, or sex and love in general.
Featuring the writing of the always funny Jimmy Mak, with contributions by David Whitehouse, Nickey Winkelman, and JT Walker III, Foreplay contains some great sketches. Standouts include “Alone Time,” in which a stressed teenage boy (Jamie Barrow) yearns for some quiet time with a bottle of lotion, but instead must endure a family meeting with his clueless parents (Whitehouse and Stacie Boord) while they give him the worst form of pun-ishment; “Hear No Evil,” in which the audience learns what men really hear when women speak; and “Cold Feet,” where a long-term married couple (Boord and Tom Cardinal) decide to renew their vows, but face fear and doubt of the commitment as the time approaches.Some of the sketches rely heavily on cliches, but I certainly heard some acknowledging and appreciative hooting and hollering to them, so what do I know? Whatever gets you hot I suppose.
The show also possesses some entertaining videos, all which induce laughter. “Education,” where the Shadowbox Live staff discuss the possibility of turning this sultry show into a watered-down high school matinee features potentially my favorite Amy Lay moment to date.
As with typical Shadowbox fare, this show seems musically stellar. The vast and varied band continues to rock. JT Walker III’s rendition of “Father Figure” effortlessly floats through the space and sounds as smooth as silk, and Nikki Fagin’s version of “Sweetest Taboo” can blow the audience away. Katy Psenicka choreographs some nice numbers in this show, particularly the sensual “Candy Perfume Girl.”
Overall, Foreplay’s design seems to contain more variety than past sketch shows. The band lighting, especially for “Let’s Get it On” and “Sweetest Taboo” work really well, though at times, some back-up singers still remain in total darkness. Costumes, designed by Linda Mullin and Nick Wilson, also provide surprises. With a show titled as such, I expected a drudge-up of skimpy cloths from the Burlesque de Voyage and Burlesque Behind the Curtain days, but the songs and sketches offer a wide array of creative costuming choices without a hint of sacrifice. Nice work.
Though the show is presented by an adult store, this production remains relatively tame. For a good night out that’s kind of sexy, but mostly funny, check out Foreplay.
Foreplay runs until March 22, at Shadowbox Live, 503 S. Front Street. Fri. & Sat. at 7:30 pm and 10:30 pm. Tickets $20-40. More information can be found online at ShadowboxLive.org.
Photos courtesy Shadowbox Live.
