Tongue & Groove Spontaneous Theater lives up to its name in Before I Die. The show’s script is written on index cards filled out by audience members answering the question: “What do I want to do before I die?” Then placed in a bucket on stage these replies become the prompts for improvisational skits and plot lines. The talented, quick-witted ensemble cast of comedians are accompanied by a live musician whose witty commentary drives plot forward. Every time an actor reaches for a card anticipation levels rise in wonder of whose will be drawn next.
The responses are rich in originality, ranging from silly desires like a threesome with Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump; to the mundane wishes of a parent wanting their kid to get a job; to the erotic fantasies of a husband wanting to have no-gravity sex with his wife. And, not all answers are selected. Leaving the audience in secrecy as to whose answers remained unspoken, providing plenty of fodder for post-show discussions. A night filled with irreverence and laughter reminding us all we are still alive.
[The PlayGround at the Adrienne, 2030 Sansom Street] September 9-24, 2016; fringearts.com/before-i-die.
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