On the night I attended, audience members suggested ‘Calgary’, ‘infidelity’, and ‘the deep blue sea’ as ideas for the cast to play with. The resulting musical took place in the oil sands of Alberta and at the Calgary stampede with various characters scheming while shimmying to escape marriage, find love and even sell some pork rinds. I took a moment to observe the audience and judging by the hoots, hollers, guffaws and generous applause, they agreed with me; this show is rip-roaring fun!
It’s also a show that relies heavily on the talent of its cast – no elaborate set or well-crafted script to rely on, but it works. Free from the constraints of a predetermined plot, the cast shines; adeptly dancing, swerving, gyrating and singing into the audiences’ hearts. Ashley Botting stands out as the wronged, pork rind-selling wife of a mime. Her singing voice and dancing are superb, only to be beaten by the razing one-liners she spews out on the spot. Jan Caruana's ability to improvise is quite impressive. As a Calgary stampede organizer, she made the simple act of smoking ham hilarious and breathed life into the droll and cynical characters she created in each scene.
Leaving out the cheesy jokes and avoiding boring archetypal characters, the actors keep it fresh with risqué jokes and edgy song lyrics. It's a mystery as to what your night at this musical comedy will entail and that's the point. In an era when even supposed reality shows are scripted and politicians deliver rote speeches, it is invigorating to witness live theatre that is neither pre-planned nor predictable.
