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“Country Gravy” is a musical hoot

August 1, 2014 By Travis Biazo Leave a Comment

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“Country Gravy” is a musical hoot

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2014-08-02T10:45:00Z “Country Gravy” is a musical hootKathleen Allen Arizona Daily Star Arizona Daily Star
August 02, 2014 10:45 am  •  Kathleen Allen Arizona Daily Star
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Review

What: The comedy-with-music “Country Gravy and Other Obsessions.”

By: Patti Rabaza and Julia Laskowski

When: 8 p.m. today; 2 p.m. Sunday.

Where: Zuzi Theater, 738 N. 5th Ave. in the Historic Y.

Cost: $22.50.

Reservations: brownpapertickets.com/event/758241

Information: countrygravyobsessions.com

Running time: 90 minutes, with one short intermission.

Chocolate chip cookies.

Have I got your attention?

Certainly Mavis, one of the “relationship experts” in “Country Gravy and Other Obsessions,” did.

Before the Texas-born play began, Mavis, given a gleeful sincerity by Julia Laskowski, came into the audience with a plate of the cookies. We all looked like we needed a bit of comfort, she noted.

That set the play off on a high note, and it never left it.

“Country Gravy and Other Obsessions” is in Tucson for the weekend, and if you love gorgeous singing, over-the-top characters, laughter and out-and-out silliness, this is for you.

Mavis’ other half is Myrtle (Patti Rabaza). Together, the two have a song for about every situation — Myrtle sings about the French fry on the car’s floorboard. They both sing about the glory of Spanx — struggle into it and oh gosh, you can eat all you want. They sing country, ballads, opera. Golly, they even rap.

This is how good these two actors are: Friday night’s audience at Zuzi was sparse; very sparse. Yet they — accompanied by Daryl Banner on piano — never faltered. That’s amazing — comedy is hard to do even with a packed house.

Here are five good reasons why you want to catch the show:

1. It’s very, very funny. Laskowski and Rabaza wrote the play and most of the songs, and they are two clever, talented women. The premise is they are here to resolve any relationship issue you’ve ever had. They’ll take questions from the audience — indeed, demand them — but the characters mostly pull from their lives to guide us.

2. They have gorgeous voices. This presents a problem — the lyrics are a stitch, but the voices so beautiful that you want to stifle your laughter just to hear them sing. Betcha can’t do it.

3. Banner isn’t just ear candy. He doesn’t just accompany them on the piano; he sings and interacts with them, making his character, Schworken Kabierbenbarben (I kid you not) an integral part of the performance. And Banner is good at what he does.

4. Ya gotta love them. As whacked-out as these characters are, they are also charming, heartfelt and warm. You have a deep sense that they like you, they really like you. So of course, the audience is willing to go along on any ride they take us on.

5. Those cookies. They weren’t the best (I know a box cookie when I see it), but the idea is so seductive. As is “Country Gravy and Other Obsessions.”

Copyright 2014 Arizona Daily Star. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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