Therapeutic Humor In Session
The Chappell Players return with another production Beyond Therapy, catering to a more mature audience this time around. Its content of “adult humor” consisted of immature jokes that were awkward, inappropriate, and at times, disturbing – but hilarious the entire show.
At their therapists’ requests, Prudence (Jessica Hackett) and Bruce (Aaron Poon) both meet up for
a blind date that goes terribly wrong, with water being thrown into each other’s faces. However, they find out that perhaps they were destined for each other. Their peculiar relationship is further complicated when
other characters are thrown in the mix like Bruce’s gay lover, Bob, or the chauvinistic therapist Prudence sleeps with, Stuart (played by Michael Wagner and Dylan Frisina, respectively).
With a small cast of only six characters, Beyond Therapy managed to keep the audience entertained without missing a beat. The scene and costume changes were minor glitches, but the pace of the play helped the transitions flow smoothly. The chemistry among the major characters translated well on stage
despite their mismatched personalities.
Admittedly, the cast did have a problem with over-acting at times, but were so entertaining for the most part, it was easy to overlook. Other times, its inappropriateness caused audience members to audibly cringe, though it is hard to distinguish whether it had to do with the content or the manner in which the actor was portraying the content.
Poon’s character, Bruce, was a crowd favorite, eliciting laughs every moment he was on stage because of his positive sensibility and naivety. Another character who won over audiences despite appearing in the second half of the play was the elusive Bob. When a face was finally put to the name and stories behind Bob, Wagner really brought the character to life, making him all the more funny.
The set of the play could not go unmentioned because of its stunning simplicity. The characters still
acknowledged other settings despite the few minor changes that were supposed to indicate a new one. It was nice to see that them recognize their limited settings out loud which added to the humor of the performance.
Despite the fact that the play had a relatively low attendance Friday night, it was still a pleasure for those who attended. Beyond Therapy is a play that college students can appreciate for its satirical and adult humor.