25 Plays Per Hour

My overall impression

Theatre Unleashed and their production of 25 Plays Per Hour was a smashing success, in the idea of presenting 25 plays in an hour of course. Well if you want to call them plays, more like skits. By skits I mean the kind we used to perform at summer bible camp. Campy, straight to the point, which usually if not always was some fictitious story that ended with God helping or aiding his people. I am not saying that 25 Plays, was a life changing or enlightening event but it did teeter on being preachy or over-bearing with campiness. There were unbearable moments at times, mainly due to the performances, acting choices or directing choices, such as in “Paper Clips”, “Amnesia”, or “White Satin, Clean Lines”, but for the most part, 25 Plays Per Hour presented an hour of comedy and schtick seen across the country in BA college productions and community theater. There seemed to be a contrast between the talent and skill level of the male actors and female actors. I found myself wanting to see more of R. Benito Cardenas, Sean Fitzgerald, and the two breakout stars of the night, Jim Martyka, and Lee Pollero. I wish these festivals brought more seriousness and professionalism to the scene with their play bills because I really wanted to know more about both Jim and Lee. Both performances outshines their fellow on stage partners and kept me connected to the feat of performing 25 Plays Per Hour. If you have to see this one, its a good thing its only an hour. See it for Jim and Lee if nothing else.