Drinking Habits 2 Caught In The Act

 Drinking Habits 2 Caught In The Act

at Stage West Calgary to April 14
2.5 out of 5 stars

Photos courtesy Stage West Calgary

I really expected to be writing an entirely different review today, given how much I LOVED Drinking Habits back in 2017 (see review posted in at the end). 

That first production was a terrific farce blessed with frantic plot twists, fantastic actors, and above all, tight comedy that worked to great effect. The sequel falls quite a bit short in recreating all of those elements.

Drinking Habits 2 Caught In The Act actually feels a bit like the writer picked up fragments from a discount comedy bin to weave the fabrics together, but couldn’t quite complete a whole cloth from the effort.

Photos courtesy Stage West Calgary

I do have to keep something aside for the official forthcoming Calgary Herald review, but let’s see what might have been missing from this production:

Director - no, that is still the acclaimed and highly competent J. Sean Elliott, who I have complimented here frequently before, especially when it comes to farces. He certainly keeps things moving, and was able to cast this outing with the original actors from the prior production, but the comedy seems to be stretching much too thinly. For example, the hypnosis bit that telegraphs obvious outcomes was old back when Bugs Bunny was pulling it on Saturday morning cartoons, 40+ years ago.

Cast - no, as I mentioned a moment ago, there is a lifeboat full of highly talented actors on this wayward raft. Jeremy LaPalme (Paul) and Charlie Gould (Sally) are the unrequited lovers torn between career paths and marital bliss. Luc Trottier (George) and Kate Madden (Kate) liven the proceedings up as a couple about to enter parenthood, notwithstanding participating in a hastily crafted fundraising event to save an orphanage. 

As the Mother Superior and The Sisters Of Perpetual Sewing, Elinor Holt, Esther Purves-Smith and Natascha Girgis are tasked with underpinning the comedic moments - mostly to good effect, but in Girgis’ case she has a scene-stealing moment that is the sole great comedic moment. And Robert Klein as Father Chenille returns, but this time balances hopeful retirement with a budding career as a magician for that aforementioned fundraiser. 

For the most part, these are all likeable characters, even if sometimes just a slight step aside from caricature. 

Writing - herein lies the rub in this outing. Confusing even after a recap of the first production to get started, overdone for much of the early proceedings, there are only hints of the comedy that buoyed Drinking Habits. I don’t know if it was too much ambition in commandeering a credible storyline with the same characters, or just a mish-mash of comedic features that didn’t mesh this time around, but the laughs were clearly hard won.

For a facility that often meets or surpasses with sequels, this was a rare miss. I’ll post a link to the full review when The Calgary Herald goes live online.

Photos courtesy Stage West Calgary

Drinking Habits 2 Caught In The Act

at Stage West Calgary to April 14

Calgary Herald review of "Drinking Habits"