Taking the form of a group initiation into the Happy Burger Corporation, this mock training session offers the audience advanced courses in “oniononics” and seminars in “spatularopoly.” Five hapless, clueless workers of the Happy Burger family lead us on a wholly interactive experience that is equal parts song and dance, equal parts improv and comedy.
These underachieving oddballs resemble every slobby, creepy, empty-headed co-worker you’ve all ever had (if the Lone Gunman from the X-Files had been good at singing instead of cracking government conspiracies, they would be these guys). This crew have been tasked with initiating successfully a certain percentage of the audience so that they me be released into “outside land” in order to compete in an a capella contest, and so we must help them.
The show is a carefully organized freestyle performance, with a film crew interviewing the audience about their hopes and dreams and gauging their ability to yell “balls” very loud (if they talk to you, beware. That footage is used in the show). Then we rise for the happy burger anthem. From there our instruction begins with constant interrupting video messages on a giant screen from corporate headquarters, stressing obedience and loyalty and commitment to happy burger forever, and ever...
Work Your Way From the Bottom Right Up to the Middle
We have an a cappella classic supplemented with beat boxing about how awesome Connecticut is. Then a Gothic choir instruction on the proper cleaning of deep fat fryers, the five-piece rotates their way around a podium, instructing and singing to us how to be happy drones.
A first class parade of character comedy follows that includes Kooky the hypochondriac circus Klown (red wig, yellow suit, founding member of the KKK – Kooky's Kids Klub). Kooky comes over like Steven Wright in drag. He has a tumor and is terrified of intimacy of any kind, though he doesn't want to die alone. There is a group hallucination inspired by French Fries and a hilariously engrossing story song about how to maintain a full sexual relationship with a grill plate (it's “difficult and painful,” apparently).
Audience Participation
Of course, no seminar is complete without hearing from the audience. Cue an expedition into the audience to find willing victims (“volunteers”) to assist in a booty shake dance off telling us the dangers of sleeping with co-workers. But Before we get to that we have witnessed a D&D inspired utensil carnage and a countless list of homage and parody taking aim at everything from 300 and Les Miserables, to Superman and Willy Wonka.
Just when you think they couldn't possibly pack any more into it they deliver a show stopping finale split into a cappella, beat boxing and full on audience sing along where we are all instructed to go forth and grab our lives by the balls that brings the house down.
If you fancy a slightly unconventional, amazingly colorful and wildly funny night at the theater, you will be hard pressed to beat this troupe of genuinely talented performers with a great deal to offer in terms of song and spectacle.
