Tequila and spicy food combine for another (un)memorable evening.
Dream Vacation is a funny look at the lives of three characters
Vacations to sunny destinations like Mexico are frequently on the minds of Calgarians particularly when the temperature dips below the deep-freeze range. But if you can’t make it down to warmer climates yourself this December you can do so vicariously through Lunchbox Theatre’s world première of the musical Dream Vacation .
The play tells the story of three people — Cindy (Onalea Gilbertson) Judd (David Shelley) and Norman (Kevin Dennis) — who win a “dream vacation” to Mexico. However their vacation soon turns into a nightmare when they are forced to share the same cheesily decorated room (cactus headboard anyone?) and true to Mexican weather stereotypes a hurricane hits.
Trapped together as they wait out the storm the characters come to terms with some of the things they want in life. For Cindy that means bedding the hunky Judd in order to get a job in the Calgary office of an advertising firm. For Judd aside from his usual preoccupation with snagging another client it means working on some of his issues around acceptance of homosexuals. For Norman it means finding someone special and getting a life.
Jonathan Monro the Toronto-based actor playwright and composer who wrote Dream Vacation also premièred his musical With a Twist at Lunchbox Theatre two years ago earning four Betty Mitchell Awards. Without wanting to jinx anything I wouldn’t be surprised if Dream Vacation follows suit.
The songs are light and catchy with wonderful rhythms and harmonies and Mark Bellamy’s choreography is infectious (Bellamy also directs the production). Gilbertson Shelley and Dennis are all strong vocalists and their voices contrast and combine well with one another.
There is plenty of humour laced throughout the show much of it of a sexual nature along with some laughs about homophobia and bodily functions. (Just to give you a little sampling…while Judd is “baking brownies” Cindy excuses his “windy pops”). There is even an entire song dedicated to “Montezuma’s Revenge” which if the brownie reference didn’t clue you in Judd is suffering from.
Is the show silly? Yes. Is it over-the-top? Yes. Is it fun? Absolutely.
As all three characters work in advertising there is plenty of fun poked at the business of creating and selling ads. “We arrest peoples’ intelligence long enough to make money” is how Cindy and Judd describe their work.
In amongst all the silliness however there is a touching storyline belonging to the gay Norman. He sings a plaintive little song called “Third Wheel” and dreams of leaving the advertising business to settle down with someone have a dog and raise kids. He adds a sweetness to the show that gives the production some depth amongst all the shtick.
My only complaint with the production is the way in which the hurricane seems to drift in and out. After the initial mention of the storm which sees all three characters screaming for help and banging on the doors of their room that sense of inclement weather disappears from the story altogether until near the end when bits of wood and debris fall onto the stage. It’s a minor point but perhaps a continual sense of a storm brewing outside would add some consistency to the show and remind viewers why the characters are stuck there in the first place.
All in all Dream Vacation is a funny and entertaining show. The music and choreography are fantastic and even if it’s not exactly a substitute for travel to a warm-weather destination at least it will provide you with a lunchtime of warm laughter.
