By Anthony Ellison
Sound issues hampered this sketch revue when I saw it, but a glitchless
performance wouldn’t have made it any more engaging. Though refreshingly diverse, the American Dreams ensemble never gels, resulting in lackluster bits. Writer-performer Hope Martinez seemed the most comfortable onstage, and even she tightened up as Britney Spears in the closer. Her material–a woman nervously anticipating a man’s come-ons, Scientology’s absurdities, a couple dealing with one member’s rock star behavior–never finds the cleverness or horseplay it needs to hit the nail on the head. –Ryan Hubbard Chicago Reader
Ryan. Hubbard. Man’s man. Man’s critic. Carpenter: “Hitting the nail on the head”? Not a chance with a name like Hope. If writer-performer Hope Martinez had been given a different name, like ‘Seige’, or ‘Blaze’, she might be on the right track to putting a show together that would appropriately accent a “glitchless” performance. But that’s just one of those unlucky breaks that people are born with or not. “Horseplay”? Where was it Hope? Britney and Stallions go hand in hand. Everyone knows that. But don’t blame yourself for lacking the right “hammer” to secure the clever through lines that a MAN like Ryan Hubbard holds above par. It’s tier you were not
meant to reach. Says God.
Join us every Friday for this new satirical series by Sponsored Troupe Member Anthony Ellison. You can see Anthony perform with Counter Productive Lover in our Comedy Showcase. Check www.cicomedy.com for listings