What I liked
Suzanne Seyfi’s script juggled all the old West and Melodrama tropes together to gender confusing perfection. Liz Kummer’s fantastic direction delivered maximum campiness to the show. The cast was beautifully committed to the style of the piece, with stand-out performances by Megan Caccamo as the deliciously evil Sinestrina, Austin Brian Taylor as the reptile enthusiast Zechariah Fandango III, and Eleanor Conniff as the emotionally unavailable cowpoke Gumption Goforth. However, make no mistake. There were no weak links in the cast, and I would love to see the amazing Maia Luer, Matthew Singleton, and Olga Kamyshok starring in a future production.
What I didn't like
Better temporary moustaches. (Although, having them fall off during the performance was an extra bit of hilarity.)
My overall impression
This show was magic to me! Not only did I get to experience an honest to goodness parody of an old-timey Melodrama, but Suzanne Seyfi’s smart and hilarious script made sure that if you had NEVER seen a Melodrama before, you would still enjoy the heck out if this show. Every member of the cast was chewing the scenery with vigor. I was absolutely delighted by this family friendly romp. I can’t wait to see what this ensemble does next, but I hope Pining at the Prickly Pear Patch has another life post Fringe.
