I’ll Take Tea, Thanks

F. J. Hartland

I don’t drink coffee.  I don’t like the taste…don’t even like the aroma.

Just seeing the title of the newest CLO Cabaret offering Triple Expresso should have told me everything I needed to know.

Set in 2002, Triple Expresso takes place in a coffeehouse where Hugh Butternut (played by Dane Stauffer) is celebrating his 25^th anniversary at the piano.  He is joined by his former show business partners Bobby Bean (played at the performance I saw by Brian Kelly) and Buzz Maxwell (played at the performance I saw by Christopher Hart).  The three re-count the disasters of their lackluster entertainment career.

Written by Bill Arnold, Michael Pearce Donley and Bob Stromberg, the style of Triple Expresso is reminiscent of Forever Plaid.  There’s lots of schtick and shlock.  The difference is Forever Plaid gives you classics songs in addition to the slapstick.

Oh, there’s a vaudevillian quality to Triple Expresso with singing and magic tricks and shadow puppets and lots (and lots) of bad jokes.  And the cast is working hard, very hard…almost too hard to get this cornball material across.  At times, it’s almost embarrassing.

Don’t get me wrong.  There are funny moments (the shadow puppet play is one), but the thing that kept me entertained through most of the two-hour show was trying to answer the question, “How has this dreck run for 14 years?”

I still don’t have an answer.

The set by Nayna Ramey is bright and colorful, and Michael Klaers’ lighting is effective.

I never thought I’d say this, but Triple Expresso made me miss S’Wonderful.

Triple Expresso continues through January 9 at the CLO Cabaret.