The next two shows at the Morinville Community Cultural Centre are a couple of gems.
Both as different as night and day, Peter N’ Chris and the Kinda OK Corral spring a wacky western spoof to a dinner theatre audience on Friday, March 31.
Following on Sunday, April 2, Axis Theatre returns with Hamelin: A New Fable, a family friendly retelling of the Pied Piper of Hamelin.
Back to Peter N’ Chris. Peter Carlone and Chris Wilson, as they’re known in formal quarters, are two of Canada’s go-to humourists.
The award-winning duo has written sketches for CBC Radio’s The Irrelevant Show, Hardly Men and College Humour, a parody of game show The Price is Right.
Their spinoff Wyatt Earp and OK Corral is another extension of a finely honed style that captures well-calibrated humour, relaxed absurdity and sharp improvisation.
“It’s classic comedy in the style of the style of Kids in the Hall and Just for Laughs,” said Ryan Telfer, the centre’s interim events and culture coordinator.
Peter N’ Chris introduces a rich and funny array of memorable western characters that appear larger-than-life at any given moment.
Popular with audiences, the western send-up gives actors an opportunity to flex their acting muscles in a different way, notes Telfer.
“And everybody can relate to John Wayne and Clint Eastwood stereotypes.”
A western styled dinner of barbecued ham and chili is served at 6:30 p.m. prior to the show’s start time at 8 p.m. Tickets for the show and dinner are $50 for adults and $40 for students/seniors.
The second show, Hamelin: A New Fable, revels in a topsy-turvy narration of The Pied Piper where children ask a hapless minstrel bring a spate of rats to Hamelin.
It follows a brother and sister’s adventures as they grapple with a corrupt city mayor’s politics. After the town’s mayor posts ridiculous taxes and turfs two 10-year old twins from their home for non-payment, the young heroes set out to right the wrongs.
This tuneful story, complete with an original score, is loaded with offbeat characters, inspiring costumes and masks, and clever portable sets.
Hamelin is entirely touching and recognizable and its sprawling structure weaves its own brand of magic.
The one-hour show starts at 4 p.m. The cultural centre is offering a special two-for-one promotion. Single tickets are normally $12.
For ticket information on all shows call the box office at 780-939-7888. The Morinville Community Cultural Centre is at 9502 – 100th Ave.
