Ever expanding, cabaret takes its audiences in unique directions giving new meaning to the pretty lady in a black sequin dress.  Fresh Brewed: Tales from the Coffee Bar is, in fact, eight short comedic vignettes written by Henry Meyerson with songs of Ani DiFranco as set-up to a few of the scenes. Carrying the theme just a bit further, all drinks were served to the audience in coffee cups. Now I felt like a patron at the Coffee Bar!

These tales are a continuation of a fall 2008 run. Tanya Moberly both stars in and directs these short plays about everyday people and their lives, most of which are clever, funny, sad, humiliating, dysfunctional, functional and…just about people!  Moberly also sings the set-up songs and, together with the exceptionally talented cast, these stories take on a life of their own, giving us something specific to which we can relate.

“No Prunes” is about a really dysfunctional messed-up chick, played by Moberly, who meets a guy (Daniel Ruth) who wants to hook up with the right gal. But we soon find out he’s as messed up as she. Daniel Ruth and Jared Reinmuth are two guy friends who meet for coffee every Sunday for verbal jousting, this time on one of their birthdays, with a lot of funny lines about circumcision and diminished capacity (in bed). Then there’s “Hopeful Betty, Parts 1 and 2” and Jill Melanie Wirth, a very good actress who understands how to deliver a lot of clever one-liners.  But “George & Martha Find a Way” is probably one of the best of the lot, as the overly dramatic, tongue-in-cheek couple, Moberly and Ruth figure out how to keep their romance alive having verbal sex.

Scott Ethier is at the piano.  Can’t wait to see the next episodes!

Sandi Durell
Cabaret Scenes
May 1, 2009
www.cabaretscenes.org