What I liked
If you’re a fan of westerns, goofiness, and libraries, this is the show for you! The show reminded me of the skits I would see as a kid when my family took road trips across the American West to ghost towns and the like. From the dastardly villain (whose moving and multiplying mustaches reminded me of Mel Brooks gags) to the multitalented herpetophile (justice for snakes!) saloon lad to the broodin’ croonin’ cowboys and the hound dogs they love, the show is full of send-ups of your favorite western archetypes, each with new life breathed into them. The performances are strong across the board, but I gotta give it up for Maia Luer in particular. From the pre-show, Luer draws the audience in and lights up the stage every time she enters.
The convention of up-ending traditional gender roles in melodrama so that the men are the damsels in distress and the women are driving the action is a brilliant way to comment on the misogyny in not just melodrama but narrative as a whole. It gives the older audience members something to think about and provides a solid foundation for the younger audience members to build a better storytelling landscape than the one we inherited.
All of this is presented in a way that’s fun, lighthearted, and easy for audience members of all ages to digest! That’s another thing…there aren’t a lot of shows on my radar this year that someone could feel comfortable bringing their kids to. Let alone shows that are geared towards kids (with plenty of over-their-heads jokes for the adults, too)! It’s refreshing to see family-friendly fare at Fringe!
What I didn't like
Putting new lyrics to traditional folk songs is fine and dandy, but I’d love to hear more original music, too! (TL;DR – I am stoked for more from this creative team!)
My overall impression
A rootin’, tootin’, rustlin’, tustlin’ good time! [Cheer!]
