The first show of The Barn Theatre's winter season is a delightful comedy called, "Don't Hug Me." Set in the north woods of Minnesota, it is the story of Gunner and Clara, a husband and wife who own The Bunyan, a local pub in the fictitious town of Bunyan Bay.
The story centers on the fact that, on the coldest day of winter, Gunner want to sell the bar and move to Florida, where it's warm all the time. But his wife won't hear of it, doncha know! Being a former town beauty queen, Clara's roots are imbedded far too deeply in Bunyan Bay to ever consider leaving!
The Bunyan is staffed by their waitress Bernice, who is engaged to the somewhat successful, yet oafish and overbearing Kanute. Although she wishes their relationship were better, for a girl who's never been outside of Bunyan Bay, he's the best chance she's got of living the "good life" where she can visit exotic, far-off places ... like Fargo and the Mall Of America.
Enter Aarvid, a fast-talking karaoke machine salesman, who cajoles them into trying out a karaoke machine to improve business. Aarvid is immediately captivated by Bernice and entices her with the prospect of a singing career. (He even gets her a job singing at the Grainbelt Lodge in St. Paul -- that's where Skeeter "Stinkbait" Larson got his big break, doncha know)!
Director Nikki Bettcher Erickson manages the staging very well during the characters' singing, as well as speaking parts. Her characters work well together and her choreography is very good without being overbearing or unbelievable.
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Barn veteran Tim Ostby, who you may remember him as the cuckolded Amos in "Chicago" and Smudge in "Forever Plaid," wonderfully portrays Gunner, and Charlie Olson, who was Queen Aggravain in last year's "Once Upon A Mattress," is equally brilliant as his wife, Clara.
Chris Lindstrom (Sir Harry in "Once Upon A Mattress") plays the bombastic Kanute and newcomer to The Barn stage Connie Olson does a great job in her first role as Bernice, the waitress with modest ambitions. Also new to The Barn is Brent Roelofs, who more than capably handles the role of Aarvid, the karaoke salesman. Together the five actors do a great job of making the plot flow and keep the laughs coming!
Written by Phil Olson with music by Paul Olson, M.D,. "Don't Hug Me" is full of funny little tunes (mostly recorded by Gunner's nemesis, Sven Yorgenson) with titles like "I'm A Walleye Woman In A Crappie Town" and "The Bunyan Yodel," but I was floored by the performances of Tim Ostby and Brent Roelofs in "Victim Of My 'Y' Chromosome!"
To add to the charm of this show is a collection of colloquialisms that will endear themselves to Minnesota natives. I know that "Oh, fer sittin' on the cat" and many others like it will become a part of my regular vocabulary!
"Don't Hug Me" is playing at the Barn Theatre today through Sunday, and Dec. 13-16 and 19-21. Show times are 7:30 p.m. weekdays and Saturdays, with 2:30 p.m. matinees on Sundays.
Tickets are $15 for adults and $8 for those under 18, and are available by calling The Barn Theatre at 320-235-9500 or by stopping by the box office between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. weekdays, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays, and for one hour prior to the Sunday matinees. Winter season tickets are available for $39.
Oh fer spankin' the neighbor's baby, don't miss "Don't Hug Me." It's more laughs than a barrel full of lutefisk. Ja sure, you betcha!
Mike Buzzeo has been involved in theater and The Barn for many years.
